What is the difference between dub and reggae?

Dub is a branch of reggae built around mixing: the engineer takes an existing track, strips out most of the vocals, pushes the bass and drums forward and adds echo and reverb. Reggae is the original song; dub is its instrumental reinterpretation, which became a genre in its own right.

What are the best dub albums to start with on vinyl?

Augustus Pablo's "King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown" is a classic starting point. Add a Scientist record, a King Tubby compilation, a Lee Perry album from the Black Ark years, then a Mad Professor or On-U Sound release for the UK side of the story.

What is a showcase album?

A showcase album presents each song twice in a row: the vocal version, then its dub version. The format is typical of late-1970s reggae and lets you hear the mixing work directly. It is a great way in for anyone discovering dub through familiar reggae songs.

Should I buy original Jamaican pressings?

For collecting, yes, but they are often rare, pricey and pressed on vinyl of variable quality. For listening, a careful reissue made from the original tapes is often more enjoyable. Read the liner notes to find out which source was used.

Dub

Dub was born in Jamaica in the late 1960s, when sound engineers and producers began re-working reggae tracks into instrumental versions. This musical laboratory transformed the role of the studio into a true instrument, playing on echo, reverberation, and sound effects.

Pioneers like King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry and Augustus Pablo paved the way, subsequently influencing entire generations of musicians, from reggae to electro. Later, collectives like Zion Train and High Tone extended this legacy internationally, giving dub a new and contemporary resonance.

Each dub vinyl record is an immersive experience: a dive into enveloping soundscapes where bass and drums dictate the tempo. These records invite us to a listening experience that is both physical and meditative. Let's relive the evolution of a genre that pushed the boundaries of musical production.

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Dub Vinyl Records: From King Tubby to Today's Sound Systems

Why dub belongs on vinyl

Dub vinyl records are the genre's native habitat: dub was born in late-1960s Jamaica on the B-sides of reggae 7-inches, where engineers offered a remixed instrumental "version" of the A-side. Bass up front, drums stripped bare, vocals drifting in and out, echo and reverb everywhere: it is all in the mix. This selection gathers dub albums, reissues and new releases, with names such as Scientist, Sly & Robbie, The Aggrovators, Black Uhuru, Linval Thompson, Alpha & Omega, Dubmatix, The Bug and the French band Dub Inc.

The pioneers and essential dub albums

King Tubby turned the mixing desk into an instrument, and his Kingston studio trained King Jammy and Scientist. Lee Perry pushed experimentation even further at his Black Ark studio. Augustus Pablo's "King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown" (1976) remains one of the most cited dub albums, and records by The Aggrovators, producer Bunny Lee's studio band, are genre staples. In the UK the style gained new life through Jah Shaka, Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, and Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound. Later, dub shaped electronic music, all the way to the dub techno of Basic Channel in Berlin.

Jamaican originals or reissues?

Many 1970s dub albums were pressed in small quantities in Jamaica or the UK, on vinyl of uneven quality. Originals are sought after and expensive; for listening, a good reissue is often the smarter buy. Labels such as Pressure Sounds and Greensleeves have released or reissued part of this catalog, Pressure Sounds with well-researched notes. Check the jacket for the source used: original tapes or a dub from an old record. On used copies, check condition: in music this sparse, every crackle shows between snare hits.