Dub Roots

Recording engineer “Prince” Douglas Levy was one of a handful of gifted soundmen who helped give Lloyd Barnes’ New York–based Bullwackies imprint its distinct sound. The recordings that Douglas supervised during his tenure at Bullwackies were among the very best the label released. Douglas’ credits include mixing and production work on landmark releases like The Roots Underground’s menacing dub set Tribesman Assault and the vocal duo Jezzreel’s hard roots LP Great Jah Jah Showcase. Yet his definitive work may well be 1980’s Dub Roots, which features nine astonishingly heavy dubs of classic rhythms, such as Cornell Campbell’s “Rope In,” Wayne Jarrett’s “Every Tongue Shall Tell," and The Chosen Brothers’ stately “March Down Babylon.” The playing of Wackies studio regulars like drummer Clive Plummer and bassist Jerry Hitster gives these glacially paced productions a sinister edge, but the real attraction here is Douglas’ spectral, echo-drenched production work. Listeners who are familiar with the work of better-known dub pioneers like Scientist, King Tubby, and Lee Perry will find much to enjoy here.