Search - Meat Beat Manifesto - In Dub 5.1 Surround on DVD

The Future of Sound

Albert Christensen | 04/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"(Sorry if this is overly long and cuts in and out of topics)

For his newest release, electronic pioneer Jack Dangers hasn't just reimagined his last album; he's given the concept of an album a full makeover.

"...In Dub" comes as a 5.1 surround sound DVD with mind-numbing visuals that move and change in response to the different instruments and sounds. This format has been explored before (notably with a reworking of the Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" as a 5.1 DVD last year) but usually the focus lies mainly in deciding which speaker each sound will come through, and how the music with "move" around the listener, in a sense. This concept is available as an added dimension to the sounds of "...In Dub," but the most interesting stuff comes from the interplay between the enhanced audio resolution and the warped visuals that were meticulously designed for the album. While the optimal effect of this technology is to drive you deeper into the bizarre MBM world with swirling spheres of sound and other such music geek novelties, my review is based solely on the stereo version since I can't afford the pricey set-up. Experiencing the dynamic bass and visuals had my brain fried enough by the end; if the music was moving in any fashion I think I'd have permanent damage. While 100% sober, the full "...In Dub" experience is an incredibly disorienting one.

In some ways, it is easy to say that "...In Dub" is a logical progression from 2002's bass-heavy "RUOK?." The reworkings on "...In Dub" don't really belong in a separate musical genre from those on its predecessor, but many of the songs start off on common ground and wander off into completely unique realms. Thankfully this isn't an exercise in cutting and pasting different beats into the same old songs, and MBM naturally expect even a remix disc to be as creative as possible.

The most obvious addition to this set of songs is the presence of the DJ Collage, whose vocal style is a reggae/rap mixture that's usually less grating than Sean Paul's indecipherable blabbering. Upon first hearing his voice, I proclaimed this DVD the biggest disappointment of my lifetime, but amazingly enough, it grows on you quicker than a Chia Pet after a couple listens.

The recurring theme here, as with "RUOK?," is bass. There's just loads upon loads of it, and with the DVD audio quality combined with the bass turned all the way up, I literally had things shake off my speakers. In general, not much of "...In Dub" dares to disappoint. "Intermission Dub" looks and sounds like some futuristic wasteland; the ambient environment threatens to rip apart from the inside before some antiquated radio broadcast comes in to continue MBM's rich tradition in sampling obscure dialogue.

One of the most interesting of the actual videos is for the song "Fromage Dub," in which different images and shapes on the screen are associated with the particular sounds themselves, so there is a visual representation of the way listeners can concentrate on the individual components of a track or take in the whole thing as one.

In the same way that Dangers has carved his own place in electronic music history with his unique sounds, "...In Dub" earns its stripes by setting itself apart from the other MBM releases with a distinctive sound and a revolutionary visual component."

The ultimate audio visual experience!

Tone Capone | El Lay, CA | 02/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This sonic masterpiece is a collaboration of studio wizard Jack Dangers and video pioneer Ben Stokes and is quite an impressive piece of work! Ben Stokes takes the 12 tracks from ...In Dub and applies his unique visual touch to add another dimension to the musical experience. The 5.1 mix is mindblowing and to hear an album created specifically for this medium takes you on quite a trip! Pick up this DVD!"

Great DVD for fans of great Electro Dub!

Tone Capone | 02/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great one to lounge to or have play around th ehouse or office. For MBM fans as well as newcomers. If you have surround sound system then you are in for a real sonic treat. If not, go get a 5.1 system and crank this! It's worth the bucks and you can then start a collection. Loving this one!"