APC - APC Tracks Vol. 1 FLAC download

This is a challenging compilation of laid back dub beats from master producer Bill Laswell. In headspace terms it sits somewhere between the bouncing insanity of On-U Sound and the downtempo Acid Lounge compilations. Although definitely in the dubzone the tracks are notable for a pure clean sound and crisp production. The On-U Sound madness comes from the unusual pre-dub musical bases for the tracks. The compilation features, for example, dub country and western (!?) on 'Killer Bandit Blues', with warped lead guitar line reminiscent of ZZ Top circa 'Deguello' and 'El Loco'. Dropped in vocal samples are culled from outlandish areas such as ANC radio broadcasts, a Japanese karaoke announcer and other wierdness. This compilation is definitely not traditional bass-heavy dub, a factor that may put off some. However it is balanced by the fact that the tracks are more accessible than the average. Fans of Massive Attack, Portishead and suchlike may find much to like about the APC Tracks materiel.