RUOK In Dub

One of the U.K.'s original digital warriors, Jack Dangers' Meat Beat Manifesto has continually served as an introductory step into the vast world of electronic music by combining imaginatively produced electronic collages that offer enough of a hook for the novice listener, yet enough sophistication to still impress those who consider the sounds of electronica a way of life. This remix of Dangers' 2002 album RUOK? might lead the charge of techno advancement, having been recorded as a 5.1 Surround Sound DVD, as well as regular audio disc, but the real excitement comes not from the technological gimmickry, but rather the elaborate mix of dub, dancehall, and good old-fashioned electronica that nobody does better than Dangers himself. Each track is invariably titled "something"-dub, which of course implies a stripped-down instrumental version of the original composition. But these dense and layered cuts are hardly stripped of anything. In fact, DJ Collage toasts on five tracks, including the lonely bass jam of "Echo in Space Dub" and "Super Soul Dub," which also utilizes Dangers' longstanding talent for sample collage as well as some turntablism presumably lifted from the Z-Trip cutting on the original RUOK?. Never afraid to overload the basket with distorted breaks and space-head shouts from the past, Dangers' musical vision has always been multidimensional. It's a nice bonus that our replay abilities have finally caught up. ~ Joshua Glazer|