ALMAMEGRETTA

INDUBB

This is a remix album of tracks from the Italian pop group Almamegretta. It includes remixes by Bill Laswell, Frequencies, Scorn, Almamegretta and others.

  1/  More Love                                  (Almamegretta)                5.37
        Mixed by Almammegretta at Phonotype, Naples
  2/  Alma Dub                                   (Almamegretta)                5.23
        Mixed by Almamegretta at Phonotype, Naples
  3/  Aiza                                       (Almamegretta,Palomba)        4.22
        Dubbed by Adrian Sherwood at On-U Sound, London
  4/  Glossollalia Dub (Gathering Storm Mix)     (Almamegretta)                10.38
        Mix translation: Bill Laswell at Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY
  5/  'Nziria                                    (Almamegretta)                6.46
        Mixed by Almamegretta at Phonotype, Naples
  6/  Nun Te Scurda (Flip mix)                   (Almamagretta,Mantice)        5.41
        Remixed by Scorn at Verba Corrige, Milan
  7/  Pablo's Loveboat                           (Polcari)                     1.07
        Mixed by Almamegretta at Megaride, Naples
  8/  Maje Dub                                   (Almamegretta)                4.33
        Dubbed by Almamegretta  at Phonotype, Naples
  9/  Se Stuta 'O Ffuoco (Mog Dream Mix)         (Almamegretta)                7.10
        Remixed by Frequencies at Verba Corrige, Milan
  10/ Bbuono O Malamente?                        (Mantice,DellaVolpe)          4.33
        Mixed by Almamegretta at Phonotype, Naples
  11/ Scioscie Viento (Red Ghetto Dub)           (Almamegretta)                4.31
        Mixed by Andy Montgomery & Almamegretta at On-U Sound
  12/ 'O Sciore Cchiu' Short                     (Almamegretta)                2.18
        Mixed by Andy Montgomery & Almamegretta at On-U Sound
  13/ 'O Cielo Pe' Cuscino (Live)                (Mantice,DellaVolpe)          6.40
        Recorded at Fillmore Club, Italy
  14/ 'Nziriosa                                  (Almamegretta)                3.59
        Mixed by Almamegretta at Phonotype, Naples

          Tracks 1,2,5,7,8,10 and 12 engineered by Gianni Ruggiero
          Track 4 engineered by Robert Musso at Greenpoint Studio
          Edited at BBDR, Rome by D.RaD
          Produced by Almamegretta
          Mastered by Guido DiToma
(1) 4MX Formisano: bass; LoRenzo: didjeridoo; (2) Gianni Mantice: guitar; (3) Michele Signore: strings; (5) Alex Bluesy Catiglione: guitars; (8) Daniele Sepe: Naj flute; (11) Zigou & Mamour: vocals; (13) Mario 4MX Formisano : bass; Alex Bluesy Castiglione: guitar; (14) Alex Bluesy Castiglione: guitar.

          1996 - BMG (Italy), GLD 860 74321 401152 (CD)

REVIEWS :

Indubb is just what the title implies: a remix outing of a handful of songs from Sanacore and Animamigrante, plus several other tracks from unknown sources. Almamegretta takes its sound science seriously -- Indubb is constructed like an extended suite with a musical flow so smooth (and sequenced with virtually no between-songs breaks) that you won't notice one piece has segued into the next without paying attention. The Italian quartet handles most of the mixes themselves, with dub underground mainstays Adrian Sherwood and Bill Laswell chipping in on "Aiza" and "Glossolalia Dub," respectively. The On-U Sound influence is clearly evident on the opening "More Love," and the spare, mysterious "Alma Dub" sets the moody emotional tone for much of the disc. Arabic string melodies enter the equation on "Aiza" over a slow rhythm track that drops melodic elements and keyboard sound effects in and out of the mix as it builds. Tablas come in on the ten-and-a-half-minute "Glossolalia Dub," while rap vocals and a hip-hop beat strip down "Bbuono o Malamente" "Maje Dub" picks the pace up a little -- and "Se Stuta 'O Ffuoco" takes it right back to dub dreamland -- before an energetic finale anchored by the complex "Scioscie Viento (Red Ghetto Dub)" and its strong, intriguing bassline. Even though the sound here is largely built around electronic rhythms, the stately classic dancehall bass-and-drum charge of the live "O Cielo Pe' Cuscino" proves that the Almamegretta dub sound system isn't just a studio creation. But using the studio as an instrument is precisely Almamegretta's forte, and dub underground fans will find that Indubb demonstrates just how creatively and intelligently the group can use it.

6.5/10

Don Snwoden (courtesy of the All Music Guide website)