Scientist Launches Dubstep Into Outer Space
Tectonic
Many musical genres have long tails, exerting imperceptible or unconscious influences down the decades, but very few can claim to have changed the history of recorded music like dub can. The haunting reverb and delay that drip off those 1970s reggae basslines are still echoing in most of the music we listen to today, from rock to pop to cutting edge dance music. Most of all, dub changed the way music was recorded, in the skilled hands of pioneering engineers like Scientist. "When an audio system can handle reggae's wide frequency response," he once said, "you know you have a good system. It pushes audio equipment to the extreme."
The first dub albums started emerging in Jamaica in the early 1970s, and by the end of the decade, it was becoming the norm for 7-inch singles to be arranged in the binary format that defined the genre: a lead, vocal single on the A-side, with the dub version of the same track on the B-side. "By the end of the Seventies, people were going into record shops in Jamaica, buying a single, and playing the B-side first," Guyana-born dub producer Mad Professor has observed. "That's the effect dub had on people."
In this formative role, dub versions became fixed as the missing half of a yin and yang relationship, like the echo of an original record: just as every physical object has a shadow, went the rationale, every record has its dub. While its arrival occurred in the 1970s, as a refraction of roots reggae, to its proponents it is an essential force, with an almost atemporal, organic presence. It certainly has a physical presence, as anyone who has felt their ribcage vibrate to a dub bassline will confirm. Interviewed in the 2007 documentary Dub Echoes, Steve Barrow, editor of The Rough Guide to Reggae, describes the power and physicality of dub at its 1970s peak: the genre's godfather King Tubby's sound system resonating across Kingston. "You could hear it for two or three miles, at night-time. That would draw people in, because these dances in Jamaica take place in the open, not in a hall. They call it dancehall, but there's no hall," he says, gesturing upwards to a non-existent canopy, "just the sky".
This was the context in which Scientist, aka Hopetown Brown, discovered dub. Born in 1960, he repaired TVs and radios from a young age, and began using his expertise with electronics to build his own amplifiers, using materials bought from King Tubby's studio. By the mid-1970s, he had become Tubby's pupil in the art and science of dubbing records (it is a verb as much as a noun, describing the process applied to an existing record). Amused at his precocious enthusiasm for the technical aspects of music production, his mentor exclaimed to fellow reggae legend Bunny Lee, "Damn, this little boy must be a scientist" - and the name stuck. Brown went on to work for, and with, many of the greats of Jamaican reggae, both at King Tubby's and Channel One Studios, before becoming one of its biggest names himself, with a series of 1980s albums sporting hilarious names like Scientist Meets the Space Invaders, Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires and Scientist Wins the World Cup.
His influence on latter-day bass explorers making electronic music in Britain is the subtext for this intriguing project. Following the rapid rise of dubstep in recent years, from the multi-cultural London suburbs to the world's dancefloors and pop radios, it comprises an album of new compositions by the cream of the British dubstep scene, which are then dubbed by Scientist on a second, separate CD.
The connections are less obvious than the two genre names might suggest: dub's popularity in Britain's Afro-Caribbean communities may have ambiently influenced some of the young dubstep musicians of the 2000s, but it's broader than that. The processes and aesthetics of sampling, remixing, and DJ-ing (ie the live reworking of recorded music), as well as the use of delays or reverb on vocals, drums and other motifs, all point back to dub. Dub provided the foundation for hip-hop's praxis, and indeed the evolution of dance music through the 1980s and into the multi-genred octopus it is today, from trip-hop's down-tempo, bass-led introspection, to techno's atmospheric, intricately programmed sound washes, to the cut-and-paste approach of everyone from Basement Jaxx to Mr Scruff.
Dub's aesthetic sees the engineer become the artist, and the mixing desk an instrument in itself. Watching Scientist on a promotional tour for this album in London's Fabric night club, this is rendered literal.
The headline slot is billed as "Scientist vs the Upsetters", in which he mixes live songs performed by the legendary 1970s reggae group. So while The Upsetters play anthemic reggae classics like Dennis Brown's No Man Is An Island, the engineer and man of the hour is applying ghostly reverb and other effects to them, but is nowhere to be seen.
Eventually, I find him, half-hidden amidst the high desks of the lighting booth, tucked far away from the stage: it really is like watching a talented instrumentalist, as he carefully tweaks knobs and pushes faders up and down with a deft flick of the fingers - not invisible, but not showing off either.
Superficially, dub's weakness as an art form might seem to be its modesty and sparseness, as much as it is its strength, too. If you are stripping down complex arrangements to their bare elements, isn't there a danger of boredom, of fatigue with the open spaces? Scientist himself, in an interview in the late 1990s, put the case that dub was the revenge of the engineers on pop music, a strike back for those who felt pop sonics were never holistic enough, until dub completed the picture.
"If you go back in time, when you listen to Rolling Stones and The Beatles that have unlimited money to go make whatever record they want, it sounds paper thin! It sounds like they are in somebody's bathroom, the drums sound all clink clink clonk! No bass to it. When you run those music (sic) through the spectrum analyser you see that it's only picking up a tiny portion of the audio spectrum."
There is little danger of limited spectrum bandwidth with either dub or dubstep. Korg Back Dub, Scientist's reworking of the synth-led melodic head-rush contributed by Bristol's Guido, dances merrily in the trebly end, but is always anchored by a substantial bass weight. The dub CD is substantially more interesting than the "straight dubstep" CD: the latter is mostly edifying for the information it provides about the final product, like a list of ingredients on a cheesecake package. Scientist's invisible touch resonates throughout the dub CD: in the shimmering echoes of a melody twinkling in joyous slow-motion, in shuffling dubstep beats drenched in reverb.
The experiment only fails when Scientist restrains his interventions. The rush of supplementary white noise at the start of Dog Money Dub (from an original by Asbo) sounds promisingly like a wave crashing, but the subsequent, smaller ripples of bass are overpowered by the dubstep itself. There are smatterings of reverb, vocals deveined like langoustine, and the spooky howl of a reconstituted synth line, but it still sounds too much like London, and not enough like Kingston.
2012 Dub (Scientist vs Pinch and Emika) and After All Dub (Scientist vs RSD featuring Prince Jamo) provide much stronger examples of how dub reggae might offer more than just an estranged avuncular role to dubstep. The basic rhythm pattern of dubstep remains, but is overshadowed by fleeting, echo-drenched guitar licks, expertly-applied reverb, and bass which is powerful, but subtle with it.
For all the intriguing sonic connections made on this double CD, its paradox is that it seeks to unite two long-lost musics who would appear to be kith and kin, when actually, the DNA match isn't all that close. The names make the younger genre sound like a patronym, a reverent acknowledgement of its elder, and a lot of dubstep is naive.
The fact that a generation of young trailblazers can now make music using just a laptop is undoubtedly a good thing, an emancipating technological change which dubstep enthusiasts have taken full advantage of. But there is still a great deal about sound design to be learned from the kind of musicians who built their own mixing desks.
Dan Hancox is a regular contributor to The Review. His work can be found in The Guardian, Prospect and New Statesman.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam
Zayed Sustainability Prize
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Studying addiction
This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.
Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.
The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
England ODI squad
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Step by step
2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
