Needle Time

  Doctor Pablo & The Dub Syndicate - North Of The River Thames [ON-U LP30 UK 1984 24-Bit FLAC] When I last ripped this album back in December 2014, I suggested that it was crying out for a reissue. That actually happened in 2017, when On-U Sound began a lengthy reissue campaign of all their best bits. Today, I present a brand new rip of an original 1984 pressing. On-U 'house band' Dub Syndicate blend an album of covers and originals, all featuring Doctor Pablo's melodica. Laced with dubby familiarity, these eight tracks are the perfect remedy to life in lockdown, who needs a re-run of old Doctor Who's when we can have a spaced out dub rework of the show's theme. Their cover of The Shadow's Man Of Mystery is a joy to behold. There's a brief Tribute to Bob Marley, then a clever cover of Bobby Scott's A Taste Of Honey works opens side two. Their brief adaptation to We Like It It Hot closes out a fine collection of tunes. By the way, this new rip kno...

  Bim Sherman, Roots Radics, Dub Syndicate & The Voluntary ‎- Haunting Ground [RDL 600 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] I first heard Haunting Ground on Peel in 1986, and it is a song which has stuck with me ever since. The accompanying album (imho Sherman's best) was partly produced by Adrian Sherwood and featured a whole plethora of On-U Sound'ers alongside Dennis Bovell in one of his alter egos, The Voluntary. My copy is a 1986 original scratchy vinyl, and although there was a brief reissue on Century Records a few years later, I haven't been able to compare the two.  My first rip was back in 2015, it was a bit fuzzy so I decided to give this a good deep clean to see how good it sounds on a better set-up. The results are pleasing and a significant upgrade, save for a tiny bit of sibilance, common on eighties pressings and thankfully the crackle has now gone. Enjoy. A1 Haunting Ground A2 Life A3 War Mongers A4 Gold And Silver B1 For The Future B2 Thanks And Praises B3 Moving B4...

Bim Sherman & Dub Syndicate - Keep You Dancing [ON-U DP10 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] As we are on a brief On-U trip, here is the gorgeous voice of Bim Sherman backed by Dub Syndicate on another ten inch On-U Sound disco plate. I ripped this quite a while back but was distracted by other things, so let's get this out there! A1 Keep You Dancing AA Can't Stop Jumping

Dub Syndicate - Echomania [ON-U LP64 UK 1993 24-Bit FLAC] The next album in line from Dub Syndicate is the superb Echomania . I never picked up the limited version with the extra 7" single unfortunately. This album features all the usual On-U suspects with the addition of Michael Franti from The Beatnigs and the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy taking up vocals on the catchy and poignant No No .  Enjoy. A1 Roots Commandment A2 Dubbing Psycho Thriller A3 Dubaddisababa A4 Walking Jerusalem B1 No No B2 2001 Love B3 Green Stick B4 Rock Back B5 Echomania

Dub Syndicate - Stoned Immaculate [ON-U LP56 UK 1992 24-Bit FLAC] Back on my old blog I posted my rips of the first five Dub Syndicate albums which took us up to the late eighties, in fact I ripped most of the original On-U Sound albums, prior to the label's ruch of reissues.  I thought I'd carry on where I originally left off and post the first few nineties albums which I didn't rip at the time. More heavy & smokey dub crafted by Sly Scott and Adrian Sherwood with a bit of help from Prince Far I, Akabu and Skip McDonald. Enjoy. A1 Wadada (Means Love) A2 Stoned Immaculate A3 Forward Not Back A4 Glory To God B1 No Dog Barks B2 More And More B3 Well Tuned Now B4 King Of Sound And Blues B5 Fight The Power