Live in the Street (2008)
10 tracks, 52 minutes
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In 2019, when the beatbox-and-loop-pedal, ‘all from the mouth’ sort of thing is now a well-known gimmick, the music of Dub FX still stands out as great music regardless of how it’s made. It is true that all the sounds on this album come from the mouth of Dub FX (as well as a couple of guest rappers on two of the tracks), at least at the beginning of their journey. Those sounds then go through so many layers of looping and processing that they come out as a whole selection of synths and drum machines.
What I find especially impressive is his range of production skills that are conducted entirely live and, for the most part, with his feet. As his name suggests, dub is a huge part of his sound, and he uses a lot of the same techniques as a dubmaster in his performance. Not only does he build up the loops seamlessly, he then takes the various ‘live’ looping samples of the track and process them all separately, dropping them in and out of the mix as appropriate, apply different effects and huge delays on each individually, all to craft and change the atmosphere throughout a piece. That these dub techniques are utilised on his own sound that is actually a mix of varous hip-hop and electronic styles give a really unique spin on the solo beatbox trope. And Dub FX’s use of beatbox doesn’t stray too far away from its original purpose either – at the end of it all, his dance-and-trance-inducing soundscapes are a wonderful vehicle for his raps, which he tumbles into with supreme flow.
Obviously, this album was recorded entirely live, and entirely on the street. It’s his very first album, made to sell while busking, and I really think that’s the perfect setting for his music and performance. I've seen him live in busking mode many times, actually – sometimes by chance, sometimes by design, and the connection that he shares with his audience as they all stand on the same level, just a metre apart is truly special. It sort of reinforces the whole ‘live’ nature of the performance, that even though the music has the sound of perfectly crafted electronica, at the heart of it it’s still all done on-the-fly, and the audience affects it in a very real way, whether literally getting up and taking a turn on the mic (he’s always open for new musical friends – even I’ve had the pleasure of jamming with him under a bridge in Berlin) or just in the reciprocal vibes that pass between everyone present. I caught him doing a show once on a proper stage, raised up and apart from his audience, and while the music was technically fine, the atmosphere was just shot. The street is his real home and the ideal place for his art.
I feel the same way about Dub FX’s albums. He’s released quite a few studio recordings after this one, and to be fair, they are actually really good – that production wizardry is even more in evidence when he’s behind a mixing desk rather than a bunch of effects pedals – but for me, this debut perfectly captures everything that he and his music are all about: getting down on the level, crafting the sounds organically among people, and letting the whole vibe flow easily through the microphone.
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