REVIEW: DIGIDUB & FAIRSHARE UNITY SOUND SYSTEM - I Scream (David)

This is the second release of Digidub on the David label. The first was also a ten inch and featured Jamaicas legendary trombone player Rico Rodriguez. I don't know too much about (Lee) Digidub other than that release and that he regulary features on the Fairshare Unity Sound System at times. The two fusions the live element of dub and the sound system vibe on stage to the crowds delight. Fairshare Unity has also been playing Digidub dubplates for years, so it's only natural progression that the two of them got together to produce the tracks featured here. The profound Fairshare Unity Sound System is lead by the "unruly" (as he's known in the dub circuit) Julian Fairshare who's voice has touched both tracks of this release. Although his deejay style is inspired by the veterans it's quite original in a way.

Soundclip - Digidub & Fairshare Unity Sound System - I Scream

Just listen to "I Scream" which got Julian Fairshare chanting and literary screaming out for love, joy and peace. His high pitched screams sounds like a Big Youth 3000 style. The very rootsy one drop rhythm backing him up is a mixture of old and new. The hi-hat sounds very seventies and same goes for the rhythm guitar (played by Mark Flannagan) laying down the skanks. The bass on the other hand is computerized yet nevertheless heavy. The horn arrangment which I can't tell if it's sampled or played lifts up the otherwise quite monotone rhythm well. The dubcut features the same vibe with a flanger effect on the hi-hat off and on. The guitar with it's solo in the middle of the track gets more space in the mix when getting the dub treatment. Although this isn't a very groundbreaking nor traditional roots piece its done well and featured on many playlists of both radios and sound systems.

The old to the new vibes continues on the flipside where we have "No Way" featuring melodica melodies provided by Dave Katz (best known as Lee Scratch biographer and the revive label Auralux's top man). The same moody vibes found on "I Scream" are also present here although this is a pounding steppers rhythm and not a one drop. A little sample containing a moog (could be some other synthesizer since I'm no expert on these) and a guitar striking each a chord to follow the other makes out the backbone of the rhythm along with the guitar skanks and the thumping drums. The vocal content of this song is that in no way we shall live and hail the devil since therefor we would represent and hail the evil. While Julian Fairshare's vocal flow was constant on "I Scream" it's very minimal on this track, leaving more space for the melodica to the work. The melodica got that mystical "Wareika" sound to it and does its work on the rhythm well. On the dub counterpart Julians vocal has been dropped totally for the melodica to completly take over hand with its soothing Augustus Pablo feel.

Soundclip - Digidub & Fairshare Unity Sound System - No Way

The collaboration between Lee Digidub and Julian Fairshare have brought us two strong tracks with a certain new school feel to them although the most inspiration seems to be taken from the past. Hopefully it wont take two years till we see yet another release from Digidub and the Fairshare Unity Sound System. Since Digidub's latest release before this came out in 2003. Same goes for Julian Fairshare and the Fairshare Unity Sound System who I last heard on the 2003 release "Urban Dub featuring Fairshare Unity Sound".

/Jakob Levi - 3/1-06

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