Subculture Soundsystem

Darkness + Light takes some of the best elements of dub and mixes them with modern technology and the resulting hybrid is quite interesting. Most often they keep the big deep bass lines and slower tempos, and supplement them with more modern rhythms and well-selected filters and effects. "Under Heavy Manners" is a good example of this, with its heavy bass and drums that have an almost industrial sound. Other tracks are more traditional, such as "Subculture," which keeps things alive with complicated breakbeats and deep bass, and "Heaven," probably the most traditional track on the album. The group is talented enough to handle the traditional sounds and then experiment freely with them. Tracks like "Concubine," with its processed percussion and yowling female vocals, are a great listen, as is the scratchiness of "Dub for Can." Others, such as "Voodoo Bones" and "Recline" have an obvious Caribbean feel to them, yet so much more has been added in. Fans of the Orb and Kruder and Dorfmeister should give this a try.