Winston Fergus / Kenny Knots / Lutan Fyah - Various

Winston Fergus, is undoubtedly one of the best singers the UK roots scene has to offer, yet ironically and lamentably, he has only released a handful of records in recent years. In 2000, Dubwise label released the outstanding "Praise HIM" and "Ganja Defenders". Both featured storming, twisting dubs engineered by one of UK dub's brightest talents, Dougie Wardrop. Winston is no newcomer to roots music, having released a number of well received reggae tunes on respected labels. The late 70's saw him in Basement 5 , a so called futurist dub fusion band very much in the ONU Sound style, reflecting the cold harshness of inner city London life, heavy handed police tactics and urban alienation. They created a significant flurry of interest at the time-Island's Chris Blackwell invested a lot of money in them, John Lydon; fresh from his break up with the Sex Pistols, eagerly selected them to support his new band Public Image at their London debut and Martin Hannett insisted on producing their cold urban bass sounds in the studio.

These tracks from Dougie Conscious Sounds are excellent, and it is surprising they haven't come to light yet. What stands out most in Winston's style is its spiritual detachment and reflective quality. This is no clichéd new roots experience, but something far, far deeper .Both tracks here are relentless versions of the Dennis Brown classic cut with Aswad , "Promised Land" (aka "Dub Fire"), and versioned many times in the early 90's by Luciano, Garnett Silk and others. Winston's versions are a deep meditation on spiritual longing and the existential suffering of mortality. The dubs (from the sensitive hand of Dougie Conscious) are speaker pounding exercises in extremity and surreal distortion. Dougie, at his best, is a sound engineer of art and skill, in the same league as the mighty and innovative Gussie P. Check the outstanding second Bush Chemists album , the "Dub From The Heart vol 1 and 2" albums by Jah Warrior and the first Hydroponics album for conclusive proof. The bass overload, cut up echo and sampling on those albums, monolithic and sombre, offer a meditative listening experience.

The sooner these Winston Fergus tracks are released the better: Winston Fergus is a great vocalist who deserves far, far more credit, recognition and accolade than he is currently accorded.Dougie's dubs focus on the inner power of Fergus's expression, the basslines veering into extreme frequencies, replete with fractured and splintered vocals. These tunes come highly recommended.

New out of Dougie's Conscious Sounds label is the hooligan break neck speed ragga track, "Sixteen Years" by Bobo Dread Lutan Fyah. This is a rapid attack digital affair, with a relentless Bobo Dread chant overlaying a skeletal rhythm. If fire and brimstone conscious ragga is your style, you'll love this one.

Lastly, the very fine Hydroponics (who released the outstanding "Let the Light Shine") return with a pounding digital version of Upsetter's Dread Lion. Hydroponics other releases featured storming cut up and shredded dubscapes, but this 10' is a more straightforward digital roots release. If you love version excursion do- overs of JA standards, then this will appeal. The vocalist on this track is Unity Hi Fi's Kenny Knots, who cut the Tenor Saw style "Watch How the People them Dancing' back in the mid 80's.

Conscious Sounds Dougie Wardrop has produced a catalogue of extreme and varied dub music over the years, with a selection of noteworthy vocalists: Winston Fergus is the best talent out of Dougie Wardrop's studios, and a man with a distinctive "roots pedigree." A full album of vocal and dubwise excursions is awaited with keen interest.

WINSTON FERGUS: ROAMING IN AFRICA ROAMING IN DUB SUFFER WE A SUFFER DUB SUFFERATION (ALL UNRELEASED TUNES OUT OF CONSCIOUS SOUNDS) LUTAN FYAH 10": SIXTEEN YEARS. (CONSCIOUS SOUNDS) ( RELEASE DATE APRIL 2003) HYDROPONICS AND KENNY KNOTS 10": DREAD LION (CONSCIOUS SOUNDS) (APRIL 2003)


Reviewed by Greg Whitfield