jay glass dubs: dubs

One of the boldest new producers to broach the dub sphere in recent times, Jay Glass Dubs is subject of Dubs, a prime "early years" survey of his work, compiled by Alessio Natalizia (Not Waving) for his Ecstatic label, and released quick at the heels of their ace Trax Test set and Novoline album. Written during what Dimitris Papadatos, aka Jay Glass Dubs, describes as "an adventurous and bold period", and holding material variously issued by Hylé Tapes, THRHNDRDSVNTNN, and Seagrave between 2015-2016, the Dubs compilation frames a singular, stripped-down take on classic dub forms, wherein Jay Glass Dubs perceptibly retains the sound's heavy function and mystic qualities, but subtly updates its palette with a range of nods to shoegaze, darkwave synth styles, and weightless dynamics. The results form a sort of ghostly, filleted subtraction of classic dub architecture, all plasmic tones and diaphanous, boneless structures buoyed by an often overwhelming, yet somehow intangible bass presence. Beyond the obvious, thematic ligature that connects the material, which was all recorded within a very short period of time, the artist also suggests there is an underlying, encrypted similarity to the material which is "merely apparent to me", and awaits much closer investigation from keen ears. From Jay's eponymous 2015 debut for Hylé tapes, listeners will encounter the heaving smudge of "Definition Dub", the serpentine, Coil-like digital delays of "Grumpy Dub", and a grime drone drill "Depression Dub". Off the II tape for THRHNDRDSVNTNN (2016) comes the darkwave synths and militant step of "Magazine Dub" recalling a gauzier Equiknoxx production, next to the bass-less scudder, "Detrimental Dub" and the shoegazing bloom of "Daria Dub", while his III tape (2016) tees-up some abyssal highlights in the vertiginous "Hilton Dub", the melancholy, Basic Channel-scoped scale of "Sieben Dub", and the HTRK-eaque starkness of "Everlasting Dub". Exclusive to the set is "Perfumed Dub", recorded in 2017 and pointing to vast, layered, atmospheric directions for a timeless project which is only just hitting its stride. Recorded in Athens, Berlin and Paris between 2015-2017. First time on vinyl for all the material included. Cut by CGB at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.