SCIENTIST Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Way back in 2000, dub heavyweight Scientist got his mitts on the parts to Culture's 199 album 'Payday'. The resultant radical dub revisions were, somewhat predictably, brilliant - as this belated CD reissue of the classic set emphatically proves. As critics pointed out at the time, it's arguably far more of a Scientist album than a Culture one, with the latter's delay and reverb-laden vocals (plus some snippets of his backing band's instrumentation) seemingly bobbing and weaving around weighty basslines and echo-laden dub drums. The plentiful highlights include the brilliantly spaced-out 'Beam Me Up Dubby', the deep, driving and horn-heavy 'Intergalactic Excursion' and the thrillingly heavy and abstract 'E Equals MC Squared'.

Review: NYC based Onysia Records recently launched its sister label Convent for dub that it deems to be more heavy and edgy. This seance release is just that. Scientist vs anyone is going to be worth hearing. Scientist vs J Gabriel is about as good as it gets as, since making his debut, Gabriel has blurred the boundaries between electronic dub, deep house, dub techno and minimal. Here he's in full-on dub mode, with Scientist handling mixing duties for extra authenticity and a typically spaced-out sound. Mike Shannon and Deadbeat both step up on the flip-side to add their own delicious and hypnotic dub techno take.