A large part of the genotype of Cosmic Disco (of which I am, humbly, the champion around these parts) is based on the Dub Mix, a concept that emerged in the late 70s and early 80s and which was borrowed from the Jamaican Dub, itself a product of the many technological breakthroughs in studio recording.

What, then, is a dub mix? It’s basically a dancefloor friendly remix of a track stripped down to it’s core elements, and back then, it’s the DJs themselves that created their dub version in the studio during the day in order to spin them at night. The luminaries of the genre are all well represented in the track selection (as well as interviwed in the generous booklet), with, first and foremost, François K(evorkian, a hero of mine), the legendary Larry Levan, Paul Simpson, John Morales and Nick Martinelli (as M&M), Shep Pettibone and Tee Scott.

BBE Music just released an amazing 3CD compilation of such seminal Dub Mixes from that era. CD1 is a mix CD by the Idjut Boys while CD2+3 contain 21 unmixed tracks in their full length glory. That’s 6 more in total than the mix contains! Now that’s value for your money — and if you buy it direct from BBE Music, the package only costs 9£ + 3.46£ S&H (to Canada), which, with a rough currency exchange rate, comes to about 25$!

I can’t stress enough the high quality of this compilation and it’s historic value, for most of these records are no doubt hard to find, to say the least.

The subtitle of the compilation is “a dubbed out collection of classic 80s dance music”, but I propose this one instead: “a priceless compilation of trippy disco and early electro mixes by the masters of the genre”.

Below, I propose to you one of the tracks that really flipped me out upon my first listening session of the Idjut mix. I’d never heard of this track or even the RAH Band (RAH standing for Richard Anthony Hewson) and it totally blew my mind!

The RAH Band – Clouds Over the Moon (Super Nova Mix)

The RAH Band – Clouds Over the Moon (Super Nova Mix)

Further readings

• An interview with Dimitri and the Idjuts in the Village Voice
• AMG’s entry on Night Dubbin

Further listenings

• Monsieur Seb’s Cosmix, 3, 2, 1, liftoffMonsieur Seb’s Cosmix, 3, 2, 1, liftoff
• Monsieur Seb’s Cosmix, Second OrbitMonsieur Seb’s Cosmix, Second Orbit
• Monsieur Seb’s Cosmix, Third Rock from the SunMonsieur Seb’s Cosmix, Third Rock from the Sun
• Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas Radio One Essential MixLindstrøm & Prins Thomas Radio One Essential Mix