The drugged-out sounds of dub take a uniquely Japanese twist on Audio Active's Apollo Choco album. Robot gorillas adorn the front of the album and a space ship in the shape of a Japanese chocolate candy appears on the reverse. Just as the artwork blends a mixture of science fiction and Japanese snack foods, the music draws on a variety of interesting influences. Funk, dub reggae, and technology blend with a kind of punk attitude that makes for a very fresh and funky sound. Some tracks move more strongly toward one distinct genre than others. "Output/Start Rec" brings I-Roy into the mix to create a kind of club dance track instead of the expected reggae jam. These kinds of twists give the record solid replay value. "Citizen Zombie" being one of the few vocal tracks gives Audio Active the opportunity to issue a protest and show their punk attitude in full. Adrian Sherwood is at the controls and helps to unleash Audio Active's noise funk, which is reminiscent of Adrian Sherwood's hand in dubbing Primal Scream's Echo Dek album. Apollo Choco is an example of new and exciting dub, which shows Audio Active's true capabilities. ~ Matt Whalley|

Rovi