‘Cannot think for himself, copy the American, to build up the tension, bring the idea to Britain.’
To celebrate thirty years in the business our jungly cousins ADF – Asian Dub Foundation are releasing an album that is demonstrative of their immense talent and tenacity, as they hold their own in an industry that is becoming an Ouroboros. They have had the enormous honour of working with some class names, and in turn they themselves have become founding fathers in a genre that is as immersive as it is mercurial.
Strap on your six string and add to the tribal beats, the primitive calls, the allure and enchantment of sylvan creatures, a clamour rooted in cultural pride all unifying to purify the waters and enable us all to drink from them. It is very likely that they have traversed most musical landscapes with an unmatched proficiency, as we start with the renegade rabble rouser himself, Iggy Pop, administering ‘No Fun’ a quirky and charismatic track that belies its simplicity. Followed swiftly by the irrepressible, and galvanic ‘Comin’ Over Here’ and ‘Broken Britain’ powerfully examining the reality behind the explosive and dissentious headlines, where we suffer consequences like the recent UK riots. The band are respectful and responsive to the artists they work with. In turn we get music that lives and breathes, it evolves, it helps us to evaluate our surroundings, it nurtures, it shapes, and it heals.
Stand out tracks for me are ‘1000 Mirrors’ featuring the enigmatic voice of the late Sinead O’Connor, a disturbing and unnerving video accompanies this song, as we hear the story of Zoora Shah, a victim of domestic abuse. The esteemed giant of the Qawwali world, the late, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, whose voice has enriched many lives and broken many hearts is also included here. His work ‘Ta Deem’ gets a remix and what we get is a trippy, psychedelic piece that is fluid, and transfixing, we are smitten; the devotional music of the Sufis has seemingly talismanic properties.
‘Segregating the massive, separating the nation.’
Their words ring true even after all these years, despite the efforts to change, it was a given that we would still be suffering the same prejudices and the same corruption at the hands of those we trusted.
‘Reveal hidden agendas, remove the blindfold’.
We finish this record with the super smooth vibes of ‘Collective Mode’ it glides along gently, the message is one of undertaking and unity to achieve fairness and equality.
Facing challenges together will surely make the task ahead easier, ADF successfully channel the anger and despondency to create songs to make you think, make you realise and make you want to fight for what is left of our lives.
With a plate to the chest and a glass to the face, you still tell me it’s nothing to do with race.
Azra Pathan
Asian Dub Foundation – 94 – Now Collaborations out 27th September 2024