Bleep

With the first new material in 40 years giving a future facing update on their classic sound, UK dub originators Creation Rebel return to On-U Sound with their first album since 1982. Creation Rebel have performed their “house band” duties for Adrian Sherwood since the days of Hitrun Records. In the years since their last album Lows & Highs, the now trio of Crucial Tony, Eskimo Fox, and Magoo have graced the credits of many On-U records from the likes of Lee “Scratch” Perry, Horace Andy, and African Head Charge. They still have plenty of fire in them, returning with slick dub and reggae rhythms produced by Sherwood.

The title refers to the UK’s “hostile environment” immigration policy, and is a backdrop for themes of protest, pressure, and resilience across the album. ‘Swiftly (The Right One)’ kicks off with drums dripping in plate reverb and a spacey atmosphere of jagged, distorted synths and guitar licks, all above a clean, heavy bassline. The murkier ‘That’s More Like It’ is heavy on the fuzz and wah, verging on abstract with glitchy drums turned into walls of noise, while elsewhere we find poppier elements of sweet harmonies, tropical rolling hand drums, and emphatic brass bands. A dramatic duet between piano and organ introduces the closing ‘The Peoples’ Sound (Tribute To Daddy Vego)’ before the chords settle into their regular bright and jaunty gait, met with funky vocoded vocals.

With Adrian Sherwood at the controls, Creation Rebel are back after four decades to showcase their expertise in dub.