Bush Chemists is Dougie Wardrop and Paul Davey. In 1988, Dougie opened
his dub store in a closet-sized space in Camden Market, London. It was
called “The Dub Shack” and out of it Dougie sold the best
new and old dub plates on the planet. In 1989, Dougie started creating
his own dubs with a borrowed 4-track in his attic. Shortly thereafter,
he started his Conscious Sounds imprint, through which he released
some classic 10"s and full-lengths by Bush Chemists and like minded
UK dub heads. In the early 90’s, Bush Chemists came to the attention
of Wordsound founder Skiz Fernando, who was putting together a UK
Dub compilation for ROIR. Needless to say, they ended up on the disc
and since then, Bush Chemists have gone on to release some stunning 10"s
and a handful of full lengths (one of which, Dub
Outernational, was released on ROIR). Raw Raw Dub is
their first ROIR release in almost 10 years!
So what
have the Bush Chemists been up to? Well, along with peers Jah Shaka, Alpha
& Omega, Zion Train, they’ve been consistently churning out
inspired dubs, and seemed to have convergently evolved with the UK’s
current hot export: Grime. The similarities go beyond simple geography
to production methods, overall sound & more—i.e. where Grime
posterboy Dizzie Rascal famously used his Sony Playstation on “Boy
in Da Corner,” Dougie Wardrop used his Atari computer. Furthermore,
like grime is to its forefather hip-hop, Bush Chemists brand of UK dub
is decidedly based in drum machines and synthesizers whereas the genre
from which it sprung relied on source material (the remixing of reggae
session tracks). Bush Chemists, instead of trying to approximate King
Tubby’s direct-from-tape analog warmth, embrace their digitality.
The resulting sound is spacey but more severe, sharper and more regimented
but playful. If King Tubby is “2001: A Space Odyssey” then
Bush Chemists are “Star Wars” (and we’re talking “Empire
Strikes Back” here).
Raw
Raw Dub specifically is filled with tension—tension between
the natural warmth inherent in all dub and the colder elements of digital
machines. Tension between Eastern and Western music (“Oriental Dub”).
Tension between rhythms and tempos where high-paced dancehall riddims
clash with old-time dub grooves. Tension between stellar vocal tracks
(provided by Ras Mcbean & Pablo Diamond) and deep instrumentals. Tension
between the bustling urban metropolis where this dub was created, and
the third world shantytowns & rural Jamaican setting from which dub
was originally born.
Slap
on a pair of headphones or set yourself in front of some great speakers,
turn up the bass and listen to Bush Chemists fight a cold war on the astral
planes of Raw Raw Dub—it’s the best battle you’ll
ever hear.
This
is dub for dub’s sake, the way King Tubby made dub—relentless,
and experimental (with emphasis on Perry and mental) and full of trance-inducing
movement and depth. –THE
BEAT
The
deepest, most crucial dub reggae we’ve heard in many a moon…the
Bush Chemists are taking music further out so the listener can go further
in. –CMJ
Taking
UK digital dub into the next century. –NY POST
Be
it their knack for wicked rhythms, culture-conscious themes and their
off-beat sound-space alterations, the vibes are consistently strong throughout
this disc…leaves you dancing in a sweat with your jaw hanging low.
–EXCLAIM!
Bush
Chemists do it well; this is music that hits the head as much as the heart,
tossing you about on a sonic sea before delivering you to dry land, all
through the power of Jah…Righteous. –ALTERNATIVE PRESS
The
most distinctive voice in contemporary British dub. –CMJ
