Dry & Heavy: One Punch

Dry & Heavy is hailed by many as being one of the best dub crews in the world. This album definitely lends weight to that rumor and vinyl heads should not think twice about buying it should they see it, since only 300 vinyl copies will be released in N. America. One Punch is not the latest work from the Japanese reggae revivalists; the Full Contact album preceded this one in Japan and Europe, but this is the first time One Punch has been made available on these shores. The album itself simmers in a haze of reggae and dub rhythms and tripped out atmospherics that maintain an authentic dub blueprint, but manage to sound fresh at the same time. They have a clean, melodic reggae sound, epitomized by "Radical Star" which features lilting female vocals. The dubbier tracks such as "Triumph" and "Dub The Bong Around" ooze slow-motion soundscapes and resounding sound effects. "The Athlete" adds variety to the tempos with a more lively, shuffling beat. Of course, it goes without saying that this is a veritable smoker's delight of an album, but even those who listen without the herb-induced daze will be drawn into the dense atmosphere and soothing, melodic rhythms. A must for dub aficionados.

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