Both Gibsy and I have just seen the new Bruno Natal directed, Soul Jazz DVD “Dub Echoes”. Now first off “Dub Echoes” is very entertaining, as what is basically an animated book. It features a good selection of vintage names alongside names from non reggae genres that have been influenced heavily by the dub technique. The DVD tells both the story of the origins of dub, while also letting you see and hear the interviewees express their passion for Dub. However if you are a fan of Dub or reggae in general then this documentary isn’t really going to tell you anything you don’t already know. There are a few still photos that can be found in many publications and a retelling of the sound system and early reggae story that’s been told many times in various forms, although there’s no harm in getting all this out again to a new fresh reggae and dub audience.
The film is a well put together scrapbook of everything that’s on youtube, or at least that’s how it comes across, but tidied up and presented with order. Again not a bad thing having all of the good stuff, the archive footage etc, in one place. Also nice to see some veterans of the era interviewed in person. The soundtrack to the film itself, has a few interesting moments, and I thought had a nice mixture of old and new styles, while Gibsy on the other hand thought there could have been more “old skool sounds” from the originators. One thing we are both agreed on though, is seeing as it’s about dub and by and large its origins, it would have been nice to have some of the surviving dub pioneers that appeared in the film demonstrate fully what they do in the studio, an exclusive insight ‘dub lesson’ would have been very enjoyable and more true to the title of the film as well.
So despite a few gripes, especially for the veteran fan of reggae music, “Dub Echoes” is a colourful and well edited documentary that skips along at a nice pace, and is certainly one of the best reggae documentaries we’ve seen.
DUB ECHOES DVD
The film is a well put together scrapbook of everything that’s on youtube, or at least that’s how it comes across, but tidied up and presented with order. Again not a bad thing having all of the good stuff, the archive footage etc, in one place. Also nice to see some veterans of the era interviewed in person. The soundtrack to the film itself, has a few interesting moments, and I thought had a nice mixture of old and new styles, while Gibsy on the other hand thought there could have been more “old skool sounds” from the originators. One thing we are both agreed on though, is seeing as it’s about dub and by and large its origins, it would have been nice to have some of the surviving dub pioneers that appeared in the film demonstrate fully what they do in the studio, an exclusive insight ‘dub lesson’ would have been very enjoyable and more true to the title of the film as well.
So despite a few gripes, especially for the veteran fan of reggae music, “Dub Echoes” is a colourful and well edited documentary that skips along at a nice pace, and is certainly one of the best reggae documentaries we’ve seen.
DUB ECHOES DVD
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