Basque Dub Foundation - BDF meets Loud and Lone

Basque Dub Foundation's second album is a departure from the previous one. Released in 2002, "BDF meets Loud & Lone" is a collaboration with Loud & Lone, one of the best new Roots Reggae outfits to come out of Europe (Spain) in recent times. BDF provides the ultra heavy riddims and Loud & Lone are in charge of the vocals "inna Showcase Style" (vocal plus dub).

BDF Meets Loud & Lone" recreates with amazing precision the genuine and atmospheric sounds of Roots Reggae's golden era. This is the music created by a new generation of devoted Reggae fans whose only intention is to play the music they love in the same style as the artists that have influence them so much.

Most of the tracks are original compositions. Brand new Roots music with a strong old-time feel. This is Authentic Roots music without crossover aspirations or commercial concessions. "Real" instruments (no computers), analogue "dirty" sound, raw rhythms where the bass and the drums dominate the reverb drenched mixes. Heavyweight dubs ("Judgement Dub", "Give Dub The Praises", "Dubbing The Rules") where the echo and the delay dominate the atmospheric mixes, resulting in a style akin to King Tubbys, Wackies, or Channel One.

Vocally, the harmonizing influence of the classic Jamaican vocal trios such as Heptones, Abyssinians, Gladiators is ever present ("Judgement Time", "Give Thanks and Praises", "Breaking The rules", "Tomorrow's Light"), and there are also influences from golden days of Matumbi, Aswad, and the other great UK reggae bands ("Reggae Session", "Don't Forget").

The track listing also includes "Ordinary Man", an astonishing cover of the Lloyd Parks classic track, and also on the same rhythm "Memories of Pablo", a melodica cover of Augustus Pablo's "Assignment No.1". "Slaving" is a Hammond-driven instrumental of the legendary Glen Brown rhythm of the same title. "Time To Give" uses the "Ting A Ling" rhythm.

"BDF Meets Loud & Lone" is closer to that late 70's-early 80's Reggae vibe than almost anything recorded in the last 10 years. Quite an achievement considering it was recorded in Spain, mostly by young local Reggae musicians, who not only can produce an authentic Roots sound, they can also play it live. BDF have an underground following in their own country but with this new album they have a strong chance of creating an international following between the most discerning Roots Reggae audience (the same people who follow labels like Blood & Fire, Pressure Sounds, and Heartbeat). If you are into the "old" Roots Reggae, check this album and it will not disappoint you.

Reviews

"The album features some truly wicked originals like Judgement Time, which happens to be one of our favorite tracks of the album, and to be quite honest, we cannot point out weak tracks here! The vocal tracks are beautiful pieces of close harmony singing, bringing back the heydays of the Heptones, Gladiators and The Royals The dubs are tremendous heavyweight drum and bass excursions, taking you back to the mixing boards of King Tubby, Lee Perry, Prince Jammy, and Scientist. Revisiting the late 70's to early 80's reggae sound, BDF has delivered a very good showcase album."
(Reggaevibes - Netherlands)

"...this studio based roots project led by Iñaki Yarritu is fraighteningly unrecognisable, such is their development since that debut... the sound is uncannily authentic, with the vocals and harmony arrangement comparable to Israel Vibration or The Meditations at their heights. BDF demonstrate a deep appreciation of the genre."
(Steve Barker - WIRE magazine)

"...absolutely astonishing…is like listening to an old album from the Wackies studio (showcase -version and vocal), Tubby's and sometimes Channel One. BDF sound is so close to the old Roots sound than most of the artists that qualify for certain "roots" aspirations these days"
(Ragga magazine - France)

Tracklisting

1. Judgement Time
2. Judgement Dub
3. Give thanks and praises
4. Give dub the praises
5. Don't forget
6. Don't forget the dub
7. Reggae Session
8. Slaving
9. Tommorow's light
10. Tommorow's dub
11. Ordinary Man
12. Memories of Pablo
13. Time to give
14. Time to dub
15. Hope
16. Dub is hope
17. Breaking the rules
18. Dubbing the rules

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