Countdown is over, we don’t have to wait anymore for second Radikal Guru’s longplay intriguingly called “Subconscious”!!! Yes, it has been two years since the release of the “Rootstepa”, although the artist pleases us with his music pretty often – at least once a year he releases a single or makes a remix for somebody else. However, the full album attracts even more, and by the way creates concerns about the direction it is going to head to and if it’s going to be as good as the previous one. All of the doubts have been resolved. Right after the first few bars “Subconscious” (the opening tune “Earthwalker”) shows that Radikal is in a good shape. And so, thirsty of low frequencies, I get 10 tough tunes – three with promising guests: YT, Danman, Echo Ranks – only their names send shivers up my back, and the mentioned two of them are considered by me as leading sound system microphone warriors. About the single – “warning” with Echo Ranks you could have already read on our website. Back then I thought that a single like that raises the bar high for the whole album, but what I have heard on “Subconscious” broke me out of my shoes. YT in tune named “Stay Calm” showed his own style and fitted perfectly to the calm rhythm. Danman in “Know Yourself” presented a lyric that I have already heard on an Iration Steppas party and when I heard it again on the album i couldn’t pick myself up for the next few minutes. One would say – only 3 vocal tunes per 10 in total – but 3 vocalists of high class like that is a lot. Radikal deserves an applause for urging them to join his album (although he probably didn’t have to trouble too much, as he is a well known producer on the dub scene). As for the rest of the tracks – eponymous “Subconscious” deserves attention, it reveals Radikal’s fascination of jungle, what doesn’t disturb and even spices the whole thing up – just like in “Wicked Dub” where we can hear the typical sound that could also be heard in productions by Mark Iration (so nice!). “Indra” takes us into India, the next musical fascination of the hero of that review; “Different dub” put me in a trance; “Spaced out” and “Outernational” are tunes in Radikal’s typical style. The whole album is full of bass, although it could be not enough for dubstep fans, but for me it’s just perfect – the direction he went to is ideal for me, more into dub and with a huge respect to the roots. Ladies and gentlemen – I recommend you to buy the new album of our national dub pride!
Radikal Guru – “Subconscious” (CD/LP)
