If King Tubby pretty much invented dub, it was Scientist who really elevated it as an art form.
Pushing the more modern studio equipment to its limits, he helped to redefine what was possible in terms of sound quality and mixing. A song like “305 Spanish Town Road Dub” really shows this.
The guitar sections are pretty amazing by any standards, but it doesn’t feel like a mechanical thing at all. The parts are wonderfully integrated, and there’s a real warmness to the sound.
More than that, the song is full of other amazing riffs. The central piano riff is almost tentative, but adds some urgency to the track, as well as slotting well into the skank. The percussion is masterfully done, with a chugging, metallic drum courtesy of Sly Dunbar overlaid with clattering and reverb heavy congas.
The bassline is a classic, laid down by Robbie Shakespeare. The organ playing is by Ansel Williams. Clearly, there was a heavyweight line up in Channel One studios when this was recorded.
The song is from Scientist In The Kingdom Of Dub, which is full of pretty stellar dub tracks. The album was released in 1981.
Dub music excellence!