Eeyun & The Co-Operators - Dub Over Yonder (Waggle)

The Slow Music Movement
4 days ago
2 min read

*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's July 27th Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***

This is cover art for Eeyun & The Co-Operators, Dub Over Yonder album on Waggle Records. It shows musical instruments wood block printed on a beige background with text "DUB OVER YONDER." Includes maracas, drumsticks, and other percussion.

I do love a bit of dub - old, new, classic or progressive, although oddly the dub torch is seemingly being kept alight these days everywhere except Jamaica, and Bristol’s Waggle crew are definitely doing their bit. Although their focus is mostly on classic sounding, vocal roots reggae, they have included a few versions and dubs on 7” b-sides and have now just released their second full length dub transmission via Strasbourg’s Hornin’ Sounds.

On my first cursory listen the album didn’t leap out at me, but like so many deeper albums you’ll be rewarded by giving it your full attention for a couple of spins. Just like so much of the island’s pre-90s output there’s serious craft in these deceptively simple riddims, sometimes less is more.

The album consists of dub versions of tracks from two roots albums: Joe Yorke & The Co-Operators - A Distant Beat, and The Co-Operators and Friends’ - Sounds from the Fridge. All the dubs were mixed at the same time as the vocals whilst the crew were still in the zone, so as to retain the vibe.

The album gets going in stripped back style with the guitar licked “Downpour Dub”, the guitar refrains intertwining over the languid riddim as echo drones hum and hand played percussion peppers the track. There’s some playful sweetener added to the squelchier sounds of “Pennyquick Version” which leads us nicely to the more righteous, trombone augmented “A Joyful Dub”.

“Frontline Dub” brings the brass front and centre, before the ritualistic Nyabinghi percussion and vocal call from Dennison Joseph to “Bring down fire on Babylon kingdom” - rings loud and true throughout, and in this age of uncaring peak capitalism it’s a sentiment whose time has surely come again, if it ever went away? “Last Night’s Dub” sees another heavy riddim test your speakers, and trust me this album won’t be kind to lower quality hi-fi gear, whilst Joe Yorke’s distinctive vocals keep the low frequencies company. “Closed door” is a lesson in stripped back dub construction; “Battle Cry Dub” lollops into the fray, before Joe Yorke’s vocals echo through the speakers to round off this weighty album of classic dub vibes in sweeter fashion. If you’re a fan of Jamaica’s seventies reggae sounds then don’t delay, hit play. You can also find a track from them amongst good company over at the Slow Dub Playlist.