Jason Urick isn't currently residing in Baltimore, but he's still finding ways to stay active in the Charm City's music-making community. If you've attended a show at Floristree in the past few years where Urick was manning the sound booth, chances are you heard a dug-up dub song or two compliments of Jason. Urick's last solo release, a 12″ on Thrill Jockey called Fussing & Fighting, was even admitted to be inspired largely by dub music.
The ex-WZT Hearts sound-bender teamed up with another one of Baltimore's esteemed electronic artists, Cex, to collaborate on a split cassette called Title King. Just in time for summer, this tape features edits of classic dub and some more obscure finds that are sure to keep you sweating as the sun heats up.
Jason Urick & Cex, “Title King 7”
“Title King 7” comes later in the tape, and is one of the handful of songs that features vocals. It's a late night dancehall jam with a repetitive message that is constantly asking but never quite finishing the question. An almost industrial clap leads the beat, marching onward and upward through the haze. The last track on Title King, “Title King 8”, is a slow burner. A cautious beat and heavy bass line move your body all while hand percussion and barely recognizable guitar noise hypnotize your mind. Both are some of the spacier and more traditional tracks on the tape, while throughout the release you'll find classic dub re-imagined through the minds of two modern avant electronic artists. Or, as the label describes, “8 tracks of Winterfresh Dub forged in a cavern under a ganja feild.”
Order the tape or download the release for free from Baltimore's Watercolor Records.
