Live As One Remixed

Since dub at least began its existence as the echoing, stripped-down version of reggae, it might be argued that a dub remix album is something of a redundancy, since the dub is a kind of remix already. Of course, dub has evolved since its beginnings, to the point that it is an entity unto itself; at the same time, "remix" has become an umbrella term for drastic re-interpretations of original tracks. This album does not mark the first time that the British dub outfit Zion Train has turned one of its recordings over to a small army of remixers, and just as it did before (on the Original Sounds of Zion remix album), the group has cast its net all around the world, using some of the same people. There are versions here done in Italy, the Netherlands, Brazil, France, Croatia, Greece, Poland, and Mexico, as well as several from around England. The remixers have tended to focus on many of the same tracks, but the different ways they interpret them suggest that there's really no end to the variations possible in dub and remixing. Digital Dubz' "Baby Father [Baile Step Mix]," for instance, places emphasis on the lyrics, with their socially conscious message, but Dubsync treats the same song as an instrumental; RDK Sound System's version of "Boxes and Amps [Do You Love the Soundsystem Mix]" is equally vocally oriented, while Dub Terror's employs an entirely different drum program for an electronic effect. Live as One was already a celebrated album; the remixes simply provide more ways to enjoy it. ~ William Ruhlmann