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Ashtech
Walkin' Target

Interchill Records / Pacific Music Canada

Posted: Tuesday, December 04, 2007
By: Matthew Johnson
Assistant Editor

Produced by fellow London-based Italian artist Gaudi, the solo debut from dub bassist Ashtech (of Naples-based reggae outfit Almamegretta) is a masterpiece of gritty electronics and near-subsonic bass grooves. Traditional enough for dub purists, Ashtech employs all of the familiar tropes; piano chords and guitar strums spin out in loops of digital delay for that extra stoned effect, and a melodica even shows up in "Sun Shines on You." But despite his use of traditional instruments (as well as more surprising ones like the theremin), the dub of Walkin' Target is informed by a dark, modern sensibility that sets it apart from the instrumental reggae of the '70s. This is due in large part to Ashtech's subtle but effective use of contemporary programming techniques; opening track "DNA" throws just enough distortion on the snare patches to give things a hint of industrialized clatter, and "While the Music Plays" gets much of its bite from a muffled oscillation that sounds like nothing so much as a circuit-bent Pac-Man machine trapped in purgatory. "R.E.M.," on the other hand, is suitably dreamy, thanks to slow ratcheting whirrs and the occasional bleat of vintage analog equipment, while the cleaner, more up-tempo sound of "Plain Speaking" is buoyed by an undercurrent of hard-hitting arpeggios. While dub fanatics will no doubt enjoy this album throughout, the presence of guest vocalist Cheshire Cat (best known for his work on Leftfield's Rhythm and Stealth album) provides lyrical bait to hook more casual listeners on several tracks. Cat's vocal work ranges from sing-song monologues to staccato toasting to lazy melodies, adding apocalyptic flair to "Earthforce" and imbuing masterful title track "Walkin' Target" with its understated sense of melancholy. Hints of a gritty urban aesthetic show up again on "Essential Credential" as Cat's toasting soars through vocoder and distortion effects, while "Beat da Drum, Gringo!" is the album's nod to the more lighthearted eccentricities of legendary producers like Lee "Scratch" Perry and The Mad Professor, complete with cartoon gunshots punctuating Cat's arch phrasing. Dub at its finest, Walkin' Target is deeply rooted in tradition but pushes the boundaries of the genre in unexpected directions while appealing to a broader audience in the process.