The 18 legged reggae, dub and ska fusion that is Gentleman’s Dub Club have finally put the finishing touches to their debut full length, ‘Forty Four’, having spent the last few years conquering the festival circuit.
Their recent EPs have been fixtures of the reggae charts and ‘Forty Four’, which arrives courtesy of Ranking Records, is primed to push them ever closer to mainstream recognition.
The album begins with recently-released single Give It Away, which is a stonking start. Bouncy bass and heavy production meets hand-raising horns and swirling synths, while frontman JonathanScratchley sings: “This is my time, can't give it away, I'm pushing it forward.”
'Feels Like' follows hot on its heels and is an instant feelgood tune as sliding guitar gives in to a two-tone groove. Boasting a catchy chorus that rolls over a skanking rhythm and horns, it builds before dropping into a voluminous, house-laden breakdown. By this point you’ll be itching to see the band live.
On London Sunshine, Scratchley sways from one side of the city to another at an easy tempo, while Slave provides another uplifting chorus and a bassline born for big sound systems. The brass section takes some of limelight here and stays key for the ska sound of Too Little Too Late.
More Than Words fails to deliver on its early promise though, and by the time Forward rolls around, the album has taken a darker and more industrial turn. Riot offers more of the same but never really kicks off and the techno and dubstep flavours of the final two tracks won't be what brings fans back for more.
Nevertheless, it’s strange to think that this is the band’s first outing as they have such an established, accomplished sound. It’s a triumph for a band that could be going places.
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