Alright, let’s talk about 808TSIE and their new single, “Dub Drive.” This isn’t a review in the stuffy sense, more like a… sonic snapshot, if that makes sense. Belgium, dub techno, a Tascam recorder – these words paint a picture, don’t they? Of someone hunched over hardware, maybe the kind of person who still knows how to use a rotary phone. I appreciate that sort of analog dedication in this age of endless software.
This track isn’t a sprint. More of a slow, deliberate walk along a concrete path in the rain – the kind of rain that soaks into your soul. A slow-motion urban echo. It’s made with love, you can feel it – the artist feeling that this was the 100%, absolutely yes sound they’ve been working towards. That’s precious.
You know, thinking about it, “Dub Drive” kind of reminds me of old telegram messages, if telegram messages were capable of conveying profound moods rather than urgent logistics. That sort of minimalist precision, the spaces between notes as potent as the notes themselves. There’s a texture here, too – like the faint static you sometimes hear between radio stations. An honest grain, not airbrushed.
There’s a warmth, even though the sonic landscape might seem at first glance quite cold, but a real heart underneath the mechanical rhythms, you’re never left lost and wondering with “Dub Drive”, it guides you in a comforting manner. Korg Volcas, a Machine MK1, Roland MC808; tools used by 808TSIE and you get the feeling this gear is like an old friend that just keeps coming back with new stories, like a worn leather bag. It’s what’s inside that counts and in “Dub Drive” a great journey awaits. What if the best destinations are soundscapes? Think on that, will you?
