Midnight Rocker

Few singers have managed to capture the evolution of dub sound as accurately as Horace Andy. His unique voice adorned not only classic reggae records recorded with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in the 1970s, but also the dark tracks Angel, Spying Glass, and Five Man Army of the cult trip-hop group Massive Attack.

Midnight Rocker was the first collaboration experience between Horace and the British dub pioneer Adrian Sherwood. In addition to new compositions, the project includes a reinterpretation of Andy's early works such as Mr. Bassie, This Must Be Hell, Materialist, Money Money, and Rock To Sleep. Furthermore, the album features a cover version of an early Massive Attack song, "Safe From Harm".

On this record, Adrian Sherwood brings Horace's vocals to the forefront, drawing the listener's attention to how they have evolved over the years. For example, in the original rendition of This Must Be Hell from 1978, the characteristic roots-reggae vocals echo the saxophone part from the famous composition Take Five by Dave Brubeck. The bass is quite prominent, but the instrumental melodies still occupy a lot of space in the arrangement, giving the song a relaxed and carefree vibe. In Sherwood's new interpretation, the composition sounds more restrained and contemplative, with a focus on rhythm and Horace's deep tenor, which has acquired new nuances and a slight huskiness with age.

Translation powered by chatGPT