Special King Size Dub: …Crucial Recordings in the Name of Bud…

It’s a mash-up made in heaven: the legendary dub experimentalists Dub Syndicate (with the notorious Adrian Sherwood at the controls) and the Echo Beach label, whose King Size Dub series is a treasure trove of adventurous contemporary roots reggae. The tracks featured here will be familiar to Dub Syndicate’s international cult (“Mafia,” “Dubbing Is a Must,” the Lee Perry showcase “The Only Alternative,” etc.), but the mixes are mostly new and feature the handiwork of such producers as Dubiterian, Rob Smith, and DJ Scruff. Everything is leadweight and fearsome, as On-U Sound stalwart Andy Fairley would say.