Brynovsky return, with an ode to their former selves.

At the helm, Tim Jones (Writer, Producer, Multi-instrumentalist and the main presence throughout the band’s various line-ups over the years) has revised his sonic palette for this collection.  By using recycled sounds from their own back-catalogue he has managed to create something which feels calmer and more contemplative when compared to the more up-front, bombastically-produced album cuts of the past.  Most tracks have been dubbed-down (as it were), with the drums and bass often less less punishing, leaving space for other instruments to swirl, oscillate and decay around the mix.

Examples of this delicate balance are draped throughout the first half of ‘Dub Section‘.  Opening track ‘Rumba Queen‘ favors the syncopated melodies in the mix early on, while ‘Half the Dub In the World‘ uses an almost-walking bassline to devastating effect, with relics shimmering across the stereo spectrum and overdriven guitar parts leading the ear astray.

‘Red Forest‘ is a carefully textured track with modulated drones and licks that seem to swell beyond recognition, without ever overwhelming.  The loudest rhythmic instrument being the loosely-fitting-yet-insistent hi-hat, leaving room for the cavernous atmosphere.

Next, a revamped cut of ‘Mischief‘ from the ‘Hard Curves‘ album, celebrating multiculturalism, ‘CMYK Culture‘ really picks the pace up for the first time.  The hard and heavy funk beat immediately grabs you and sets the tone for this sitar-infused dancer, leading you straight into ‘Spycops‘ (the biggest track so far) which is a dub of Brynovsky’s own remix of ‘Put the Baby Down to Sleep‘, from the ‘Time Is Now‘ album. It is dedicated to the activist women whose long-term partners turned out to be undercover officers from the Met.  It is also a banger.

These new, more contemplative mixes may be a reflection of London-born Jones’ more settled life in a small village in Scotland.  Perhaps the urge to push the faders to 11 somewhat ebbs away when your surroundings are more idyllic.  That’s not to say that this is a purely ambient affair, the horse can kick when it needs to.  Sonically, ‘Dub Section‘ manages to dance between the urban feel of dub, and the serenity of country life.

Harry Jones