Nearly fifty years after its original 1977 release in Jamaica on Winston Riley’s Techniques label and Buster Riley’s Mummy imprint, the long out of press classic LP Meditation Dub has been reissued on black wax by France-based Hornin’ Sounds.
Meditation Dub is a quintessential product of the mid-1970s “dub rush,” a period when producers eagerly tapped into a growing market by remixing tracks from their existing catalogs. In Winston Riley’s case, that catalog was both extensive and ideally suited for dub reinterpretation. Originally recognized as a vocalist with the Techniques during the ska and rocksteady eras, Riley transitioned into production in the late 1960s, making a significant mark with hits like Dave and Ansell Collins’ 1971 smash Double Barrel.
Meditation Dub features a multitude of dub versions of classic tunes, all instantly recognizable not least due to the fact that vocal snippets are left in the mix. Tracks like I’ll Be Waiting Dub shimmer with extended echoes and a bubbling guitar line, while the upbeat In The Mood Dub adds a playful touch. One of the remarkable tracks here is Purify, which versions Johnny Osbourne’s 1972 single Purify Your Heart. The remix complements the vocal version well, with minimal deconstruction, occasional echoing, and some parts where vocals are omitted. Also included is a delightful, swinging dub version of the Techniques’ Love Is Not A Gamble. Find A Fool Dub stands out for its jarring tape rewind and piercing vocal stabs, injecting a dose of raw energy. The much-versioned instrumental Stalag, later immortalized through Tenor Saw’s Ring the Alarm and Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam, anchors the album with its timeless groove.
The mixes, crafted by Winston Riley alongside the often-overlooked Soljie Hamilton, lean into subtlety, allowing the dubs to breathe. At times, the bass-heavy treatments evoke the sonic textures of King Tubby’s studio, though the actual mixing took place at Channel One and Dynamic. Altogether, Meditation Dub is a masterclass in riddim recycling and reinvention.