Adrian Sherwood is already revered as one of the most visionary producers in modern music, helping to break down the boundaries between such exploratory genres as dub/reggae and industrial and thus elevate both into new sonic heights. Now, he and his On-U Sound imprint are joining forces with Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records for a new collection that celebrates female artists operating in the realms of dub music. Dub No Frontiers exhibits 10 tracks from a variety of female artists Sherwood has known and encountered in the U.K. and during his travels around the world; among them are the likes of Rita Morar, Maria Wenda, Kerieva, Saba Tewelde, Yehaiyahan, and Temi Oyedelete, with the latter’s “I Dupe (Thanks Giving)” serving as the album’s introductory single.
Despite the dub/reggae genre’s reputation for rebelling against injustice and challenging inequality, it is still dominated by male voices, musicians, and producers. Having championed several notable female artists and groups throughout his career, Sherwood explains that many female artists he spoke to felt frustrated and even intimidated by this imbalance. Dub No Frontiers took 10 years to come to fruition, beginning with Sherwood sending rhythms to the vocalists around the world and inviting them “to perform a song of their choice, all in non-English.” Tracks were then re-cut and assembled, with the singers then revising their performances, resulting in what Sherwood says is “the right people working together a tht eright time with the right label” to create “something extraordinarily powerful.” As well, the album’s artwork features paintings of trailblazing women created by Peter Harris, the cover depicting Afeni Shakur Davis – a noted political activist, member of the Black Panther Party, and mother of rapper Tupac Shakur.
Dub No Frontiers is due for released on September 30 via On-U Sound and Real World Records in digital, CD, and vinyl formats; pre-orders are available now on Bandcamp, where Kereiva’s “Chavale” and Rita Morar’s “Meri Awaaz Suno (Hear My Voice)” can be previewed. Sherwood also states that he wishes to take Dub No Frontiers on the road, “to have this amazing lineup backed by an all-female band… imagine that!”
On-U Sound
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Adrian Sherwood
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Real World Records
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Ilker Yücel (Ilker81x)
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