Various: More Bass Culture

By GRAHAM REID

(Herald rating: * * *)

Sequel to last year's Original Bass Culture collection of 70s roots dub, this is essentially a King Tubby collection with the knobmaster behind 17 of the 20 tracks, echoing up or stripping down material by the Abyssinians, and rhythms from John Holt tracks, Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson and others.

For newcomers there are useful liner notes ("What is this thing called dub?") which also ambiguously answer that age-old musical question: "Have I got to be off my face to appreciate it?" Answer: "No more than you have to be to appreciate anything else. It is head music, but it is body music, too."

True enough, except Lee Perry is here for a couple of tracks and if you are straight before he starts you won't be by the end of Kojak, which features samples from the ancient British tele-comedy Doctor in the House.

Weirdness, with an echo as deep as an elevator shaft.

Label: Metro/Triton