Froid Dub

uicy mutant digi-dub by Parisian duo of François Marché and Stéphane Bodin, veterans of the city’s electro-punk-club scene now turning a hand to downbeat styles

Skanking in the proximity to Om Unit’s ‘Acid Dub Studies’ the groggiest Tapes cuts or Black Zone Myth Chant’s screwed psychoactive slugs, Froid Dub play it down and wobbly with the seven parts of ‘Deep Blue Bass’. One for loosey-goosey bodies up for a slow bop, or the horizontally-inclined, it works to a dubwise bias of ample bass and swinging machine percussion swirled with natty instrumental organ, melodica and acidic bleeps in time-honoured style and pattern.

‘The Conference’ sounds like a 10-tonne Aba-Shanti rhythm slowed to a dread heave, and ‘Item by Item’ leavens the pressure on a lighter footing, while ‘Wet Dub’ sounds like Tapes dubbing HTRK. The slackened disco-dub chug of ‘Not Loved’ is a strong number for the cosmic drug dancers, where ‘Original Stalker’ follows like Tolouse Low Trax-meets-African Head Charge.