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It’s not that surprising really, a dub album by Grace Jones. Known for pushing boundaries and merging genres with class and sophistication, this record is another exploration into the weird and wonderful for Jones and with the help of producer Ivor Guest, she manages to create a record almost as mystifying as herself.
The record comes as a bonus disc on the Deluxe Edition of her 2008 release 'Hurricane'. The original record itself has scatterings of dub, particularly track ‘Well Well Well’ and perhaps for someone with Jones’ creativity, a dub version of the record is a natural extension.
With t-shirts showing her iconic image and name checks from Lil’ Wayne, Grace Jones is on the periphery of pop culture. People wearing the t-shirts may not know her music, as Lil’ Wayne fans may not, but this is a modern sounding record with bass drops and synth that would not sound out of place on Rinse FM. Of course, with the popularity of Dubstep, it is not only a chance to explore new musical pastures, but a smart commercial idea to record a dub album at the moment, and Jones capitalises.
Her trademark reggae tinged funk which features heavily on the original record is a perfect match with the sounds found here, ‘This Is Dub’ is a great opener, and the most contemporary sounding track on the album. Jones’ opening vocals are endearing and the track squirms over a grimy bassline. The album then reverts into proper dub. Chill out tracks with a laid-back reggae beat and Jones’ chopped up vocals appearing sparsely. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it is a delight to hear it done properly by an artist who knows what she is doing. ‘Sunset Dub’ is another standout track, a mid tempo groove featuring a hypnotic bass hook echoing Bob Marley. ‘Devil Dub’ is also a worthy version of the brilliant original track, with it’s eery piano flushes and a nice beat to fall back on.
If you are in to dub music, or if you are a fan of Grace Jones, this record will be not only appealing, but satisfying. Ivor Guest has done a fine job of creating a record to accompany the original, as well as stand up as an individual record.
