Review: Gentleman’s Dub Club – FOURtyFOUR (Ranking Records)

After another summer playing some of Europe’s more adventurous festivals, Gentleman’s Dub Club have polished and released their debut LP, FOURtyFOUR.

From the start, GDC’s gigs always brought an energy and vitality that demonstrated not only gifted ability but also a true enjoyment for performing to lively crowds. Two well-received EPs later, the debut LP shows a confidence and swagger that, when combined with slicker production, has delivered a fine piece of work to back up an outstanding live repertoire.

Opening track ‘Give It Away’ will feel familiar to those who have seen the nine-piece ska-fuelled, dub-driven band before. This is upbeat dub brought bang up to date. Showing variety, ‘More Than Words’ explores some different tempos and delicate vocals that calm before the storm of heavyweight dub tracks ‘Forward’ and the epic ‘Riot’. The dark moodiness of ‘Please Don’t Wait’ adds atmosphere and flirts with techy, house beats.

‘Riot’ not only offers an excellent dub track but also has a well worked visual accompaniment, with videos shot for the track by director Paul Bryan. The same goes for ‘Give It Away’, another video collaboration that adds to the enjoyment of a track, again by the same clearly gifted director.

This is a debut studio album on the back of years of live touring that have laid solid foundations. The raw swagger of earlier material remains and as a unit they continue to mature as connoisseurs and masters of their art. Although this is definitely an album to enjoy and savour, the band’s live shows are still the driving force, so do not miss them.

Words: Danny Doyle.

Gentleman’s Dub Club will perform at Mint Lounge on Monday 21st October.

Hit&Run presents: Submotion Orchestra @ Mint Lounge, Monday 14th March 2011

After rumours of a gig in Manchester last December failed to materialise I’m like a kid before Christmas for this one. With two sold out shows before arriving in Manchester, you know that this is going to be worth the Tuesday morning hangover.

On arrival, the queue into Mint Lounge is like a bank vault giveaway with the masses scrambling to get in. The madness outside the club is no mask for inside where the place is packed as Submotion Orchestra are just getting into their set (yes, I missed the start thanks to the carnage outside).

For those unfortunate enough not to have encountered this septet formed in Leeds, tonight’s gig is the perfect introduction. Under the Ranking Records label, which has also released material by Gentleman’s Dub Club and Quark, Submotion consists of talented individuals who come together to work even better as a collective.

Self-described as “progressive live dubstep,” they wow a student-heavy crowd with Ruby Wood’s exquisite lyrical tones backed up by sharp synchronicity from drums, guitar, keyboards, percussion and trumpet. The band’s enjoyment radiates out to a crowd crammed into the club and literally hanging from the walls for a view. In particular, new single ‘All Yours’ (released last week through Exceptional) and the piercing, yet enchanting, vocals of ‘Finest Hour’ go down a storm. All of which is too much for one punter to contain, turning as he does to the nearest life form, which happens to be your humble narrator, and exclaiming his disbelief at the high quality on show.

Following the band's set, the invisible seventh piece to the Submotion jigsaw, DJ and producer Ruckspin, occupies the decks to supply an injection of urgent bass to soundtrack the early hours of Tuesday.

In part due to the selection of songs played, the dancefloor just doesn’t stop moving, which is something drummer Tommy Evans alludes to after the gig. He tells Now Then Manchester that they were expecting an audience more suited to uptempo drum’n’bass due to the Hit&Run modus operandi, so were wary of keeping it lively. Visibly pleased with the reception from the crowd, Evans is already looking forward to returning to Manchester with the current Ranking Records roster's other live act Gentleman’s Dub Club, who are touring the UK throughout May.

For now, Submotion have finished their UK tour, but I urge you to track them down at one of their yet to be announced summer festival dates. High praise from Gilles Peterson, and myself, is not dished out to any old rabble and this lot are of the highest calibre.

Words: Danny Doyle
Images: Gary Brown (GB Multimedia)