Light'em up before you gogo!

Throughout the Nineties, the sound of Dub had a renaissance on the dancefloors and sofas of this world.

People appreciated it again, the easiness of laid back beats and warm basslines, just like it became fashionable again to have a spliff for truly any occasion. Musicians and producers most of all appreciated the endless possibilities the different mix-desk techniques like reverb and echo were offering. It was just about working with a few elements, "stripped down to the bone": a relaxed riddim, a good bassline and two chords that were send through effect-boxes and a track was finished. Producers like Rockers Hi-Fi, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Fila Brazillia, Norman Cook, Renegade Soundwave or Shantel moreover used these Dub techniques, to fusion Hip Hop and Reggae, Jazz and Electronics a pretty organic way. The result were Dub infused Tracks, "Dub Infusions", that more or less sometimes corresponded to the original Jamaican Vibe.

The compilation "Dub Infusions 1989-1999" documents some of the most important moments of this renaissance, cool tracks, rare tunes, essentials.

From founders like Renegade Soundwave to Birmingham's ganja eclectics Rockers Hi-Fi, from Vienna's coffee-house heros Kruder & Dorfmeister to London's legendary Roots heads Manasseh, you'll find on "Dub Infusions" some of the key figures of the 90s Dub Revival.

Chronologically, "Dub Infusions" starts with the instrumental version of "Dub Be Good To Me", the single that started Norman Cook's producer career in 1989 and that was a global hit. It continues with an early Howie B.-Mix of Wally Badarou, as well as "Cell Blando", one of the first tracks of Frankfurt based Shantel. Kruder & Dorfmeister's Track "Shakatakadoodub" was released 1996, just when they came internationally known for their mellow vibe business. The final track on "Dub Infusions" is of Vienna's newest talent Stefan Mörth, who released "Darker Sensimillia" under the moniker of Sly & Mo.

The compilation's linernotes were written by the Viennese radio-journalist, DJ and producer Werner Geier, who runs Uptight Records. With his radio show "Tribe Vibes" on FM4 he was the main man behind the Dub renaissance in Austria in the 1990s.

The "Dub-Infusions" cover motif was shot by the London based photographer Wolfgang Tillmans in 1992 during a Dancehall-Clash in Kingston Jamaica. Tillmans has recently been nominated for the Turner Prize 2000.

"Dub Infusions 1989-1999" was compiled by Daniel Haaksman. Haaksman is a DJ, a music journalist and runs Berlin based media and design gallery "ffwd". He's been deejaying since 1989, in 1995 he founded the label "Essay Recordings". He did remixes for Tosca and Shantel. "Dub Infusions" is his first compilation.

Best Seven is a new label from Berlin's Sonar Kollektiv, that represents projects like Jazzanova, Extended Spirit and DJ Dixon. Best Seven releases Dancehall-, Dub- und Reggae- influenced Tracks. It's called Best Seven because mainly 7" Singles are released. So far the singles "Me And My Princess" from Lightning Head, a side project of the former Rockers Hi-Fi member Glyn Bush. Soon the single "Dancehall Credentials" will be published, it's from Seeds feat. Felix Banton, a side project of London's Two Banks Of Four. Coming up are singles by Dego(4 Hero), Uptight, Shantel, Pressure Drop and Attica Blues that will all be published under pseudonyms.