VIA PRESS RELEASE | England’s On-U Sound label is announcing the new release of re-issues of early ’90s Avant-dub classics by one of their flagship artists, the much-missed Dub Syndicate on February 28, 2025 on separate 12″ LP vinyl, CD box, digital download, and streaming under the name Out Here On The Perimeter. Part of the series is a brand new set of “versions” utilizing vintage rhythms in the ON-U archives.
A follow-up to the Ambience In Dub boxset that anthologised the early Dub Syndicate albums, Out Here On The Perimeter 1989–1996 picks up the story in the late 1980s with Style Scott coming to the forefront of the project as bandleader and co-producer, and the group emerging as a live entity. This was also the period of their greatest popularity, with a much-loved series of albums that combined the best of Jamaican musicianship with the wild studio experimentation of UK production maverick Adrian Sherwood, resulting in music that appealed to ravers and dreads alike.
Four albums are being repressed on vinyl, with faithful reproductions of the beautiful original sleeve artwork, and new inner sleeves containing detailed liner notes and archival photos. Sherwood has also concocted a special bonus album, of brand new version excursions on rhythms from the period. A CD boxset anthologises all five albums.
Dub Syndicate was initially one of the many studio-based projects masterminded by Adrian Sherwood in the early days of his genre-blurring independent label On-U Sound. Built around deep and heavy reggae rhythms, and marshalling the talents of a revolving cast of Jamaican and British musicians. It evolved over time to become the main musical vehicle of Lincoln Valentine Scott aka Style Scott (also notable for his work with the Roots Radics and Creation Rebel), mirroring the trajectory of Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah of labelmates African Head Charge.
Often Style would lay down backing tracks in Kingston, Jamaica, sending the tapes to the UK so Adrian could arrange overdubs and work his mixing board magic when the tapes arrived in London. In addition to many much-loved studio albums such as Stoned Immaculate, Dub Syndicate also became a barnstorming live act and a staple of the festival circuit. Tragically, on 9 October 2014 Style Scott was senselessly murdered in his home in Jamaica. An irreplaceable and unique musical talent is gone, but his music will live on forever.
The albums included in the reissue campaign are:
Strike The Balance (1989) The group’s first album in four years, although they did get co-billing on 1987’s collaboration with Lee “Scratch” Perry, Time Boom X De Devil Dead. Strike the Balance features vocal contributions from mainstay Bim Sherman on a cover of Lloyd & Devon’s “Cuss Cuss”, and Shara Nelson (about to become a household name via her contributions to Massive Attack’s Blue Lines) on a version of Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je T’aime.” Originally released in 1989, and coinciding with the beginnings of Dub Syndicate as a touring unit.
Stoned Immaculate (1991) Probably the best known Dub Syndicate album, this 1991 set was recorded between Jamaica and London, with the rock solid rhythms of band leader Style Scott augmented by a number of additional players, including guitar from Skip McDonald, vocals by Lee “Scratch” Perry and Akabu, samples of the late, great Prince Far I, and keyboards from Keith Levene. It also marks a period in which the label was embraced as much by acid house aficionados as hardcore dub heads, with this album becoming a staple of the post-rave ‘comedown’ session. The title track is a veritable On-U Sound anthem, mashing up reggae, tripped out electronica, The Doors, and Motown into an epic groove, guaranteed to get crowds moving from the sound system session to the festival field, and all points in between.
Echomania (1993) Classic Dub Syndicate album that sees drummer “Style” Scott and bassist “Flabba” Holt, bedrock of the mighty Roots Radics, holding together the monstrous rhythms, while Adrian Sherwood works his magic at the controls. Features guest appearances from Lee “Scratch” Perry on “Dubbing Psycho Thriller” and “Dubaddisababa,” Michael Franti (Beatnigs/Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy) on “No No,” and tabla virtuoso Talvin Singh on several tracks.
Ital Breakfast (1996) Style Scott gathers even more crack Jamaican players together for the rhythms, featuring musicians who between them had done time in the likes of the Roots Radics, Soul Syndicate, Joe Gibbs’ Professionals, and Bunny Lee’s Aggrovators. This incredible legacy is augmented by Sherwood’s work at the mixing desk back in London, overdubbing the London-based Skip McDonald and Akabu, and working his sonic skills on the raw material, a true transatlantic dub collaboration! Includes a cameo by the legendary deejay I Roy on the title track, and Lee “Scratch” Perry making a guest appearance on “The Captain’s Trance Mission.”
Obscured By Version (2025) A brand new set of Dub Syndicate “versions” utilising rhythms from their classic ’89–’96 period. Adrian Sherwood has gone back to the original tapes, working his mixing desk magic to find new angles on the timeless pulse of Lincoln Valentine “Style” Scott, with fresh overdubs from Cyrus Richard (Dub Asante Band). Features new dubs of tracks originally found on albums such as Time Boom X De Devi Dead and Stoned Immaculate. A fitting tribute to the long running creative partnership and friendship between Sherwood and Scott.
