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Ambassah - Rub A Dub Showcase Part II

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Ambassah - Rub A Dub Showcase Part II

Ambassah - Rub A Dub Showcase Part II

By Erik Magni on Friday, November 25, 2011 - Comment

Exquisite rub a dub from Ambassah.

Sampler

Unfortunately I don’t know much about the Spanish reggae scene apart from my encounters with producer and musician Roberto Sánchez. His productions together with Earl Zero and Alpheus are essential in any record collection.

But now my horizon is widened, since another Spanish producer has come forward. Ambassah has collected 17 tunes recorded between 2005 and 2011 on 'Rub A Dub Showcase Part II', a compilation where Robero Sánchez turns up as co-producer, engineer and musician. Nine of these tracks have previously been released on Pirate’s Choice Recordings as 10”. The other eight are actually unreleased until now.

'Rub A Dub Showcase Part II' carry some deep early 80’s dancehall grooves and the eight different riddims – of which two are relicks – are built on live instrumentation. Vocalists include singers such as Alpheus, Horace Martin and the Godfather of Dancehall himself – the late Sugar Minott. All three makes impressive efforts.

But the real masterpiece is Breeze and Trees’ – DJ’s Ranking Forrest and Jah Breeze – Two the Hard Way (Extended), where the DJ duo goes Michigan & Smiley over the skanking Monday Sounds riddim with its lethal horns riff.

Apart from vocals there is a lot of dub going on here as well. Nine of the 17 cuts are dub versions with a rich texture and three are extended versions with a similar sound.

'Rub A Dub Showcase Part II' is an exciting and accomplished set that builds on the best from early Jamaican dancehall.