Reviewed by Dustin Helgeson

Uncle Riotous is the solo identity for the crazy but talented Secret Archives Of The Vatican member Louis Counter. ‘Dub Is A Battlefield’ begins with the words of Emperor Haile Selassie I in an address to the UN in 1967, under a slick bed of bass and drums “…Until basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race- until that day the dream of lasting peace… will remain a fleeting illusion to be pursued but never obtained.” This record of eight tracks has a haunting ambiance that is likely to put me into full daydreaming mode. It is well polished and produced by Uncle Riotous himself, with help from J Marsh, Echo Chamber Culture and additional musicians. This music rides on a cloud that seems to have decided to come low and create some fog. This truly mesmerising record is right on track with every little beat and nuance. It’s not quite fast enough in tempo to ever make it on a Matrix soundtrack, but that doesn’t seem to be the point. My favorite track is “Rain On A New Day”, which has a nice, almost bouncy, reggae feel to it. Perhaps this would have been a better ending track than the “Patience (Chilled Dub Version)”, that isn’t as good as the other version on the disc. In all, this is an excellent bass and drums record. Its reggae-influenced sound will delight adventurous listeners.

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