Amazing record this. Digitalis isn’t the usual place you’d look for some dirty chopped-up reggae output, but not only have they given us something fresh to tie the ‘dub’ title to (it’s been at least two years since ‘kraut-dub’ hasn’t it?), but in this album they’ve released one of the best full lengths we’ve heard in a while.
Seekersinternational are pretty adept at keeping their information to themselves. What we do know is that they’re part of the Transmolecular “sound family”, currently known for their affiliation to the international bass heavy beats scene. There’s been suggestions it’s one man behind the entire conglomerate and associations, but if we had to guess we’d be saying there’s at least a few multi-instrumentalist and talented production hands on deck.
Preceded by the above teaser video, The Call From Below first hit stores the start of August, a full length to follow up a few dripped out bits and pieces from the last few years. Generally accompanied by some space-referenced retro-futurism press release asking you to set yourself in another world; my favourites of which is a spin-off of unrealised 1980s dancehall digital culture.
SeekersInternational are coming at the music from a soundsystem education level. Drenching us in echo and bass dub effects, hosted by various toaster call outs sampled from a solid dance hall collection. The vibes from start to finish are simultaneously night-time spliff head and that on edge electronica that we’ve come to expect from Digitalis. All 9 tracks on The Call… are complete offerings, at no time phoning in so much as a filtered break.
Cut to wax by our man Lupo at D + M (check AWK007) the LP is pressed up in limited quantities, still some kicking around in Phonica and a few other places.
via Phonica Records
Something very different from Digitalis, a destroyed dub session somewhere between Rhythm & Sound, Disrupt, Actress, Pole and Vladislav Delay. This unexpected salvo from Digitalis comes from the hitherto unknown Seekers International crew and dives head-first into a bubbling mass of soundsystem culture and dubwise tropes in fine, destroyed style.The album was written and compiled during the darkest hours – and it shows – reviving a blunted aesthetic not heard since those heady Burial Mix 10″s and early Vladislav Delay transmissions from way back when. Yeah, it’s a well-worn path, but is executed in finest chemical style, deploying enough bass weight and production knowhow to allow us to forgive any obvious reference points; it just swims in a haze of smoked-out bliss that we just can’t argue with. Mastered by The Stunt Man at Suite Sound Labs and cut to vinyl at D+M – proper immersive style.