As part of the label’s thirtieth anniversary, On-U Sound presents eleven Lee Perry tracks remixed and re-imagined by contemporary artists. It is striking how fresh the tracks feel, successfully bridging gaps between 1987 and 2011 and reawakening reggae culture for ‘modern’ clubbers. ‘Spongy Rubber…’ gets lip-curling junglist treatment from Dialect And Kosine, and Digital Mystikz infuse ‘Obeah Room’ with a dark see-saw of noises, using the abstract nature of non-contextual lyrics to create dubbed-out electronics. Congo Natty, Horsepower Productions, Kode 9, the Moody Boyz and more help demonstrate how relevant dub is, by the very people who roots as a building block for modern styles.
7/10
Words by ALEX BURDEN