HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT by CREATION REBEL

Hostile Environment is the first album in over forty years from the legendary Creation Rebel, who were the original On-U Sound house band and responsible for classics such as Dub from Creation and Starship Africa. The trio of Crucial Tony, Eskimo Fox and Magoo are back with producer Adrian Sherwood to create a modern spin on their heavyweight dubwise rhythms.

It is the seventh album credited to the group, who originally coalesced as a live backing group for the late, great Prince Far I, in the process sharing stages with the likes of The Clash, The Slits and Don Cherry. Vocals from their former band leader, preserved on archive tapes, feature on the new record, as well as guest contributions from the likes of Cyrus Richards (musical director for Horace Andy and the Dub Asante Band), Italian synth maestro Gaudi, and fast chat king Daddy Freddy. The album title refers to former British Prime Minister Theresa May’s controversial policy towards asylum seekers, and the recent Windrush scandal, all too relevant to a group of musicians of Jamaican origin who have spent their whole lives operating in the darkening shadow of a former colonial power with a staggeringly short memory for historic wrongs.

The sound of the album is surprisingly diverse, ranging from the low-slung funk of opening track “Swiftly (The Right One)” which would slot easily in a DJ set alongside the likes of Nightmares On Wax or early releases on the Mo’Wax label, through to the Augustus Pablo-esque “Stonebridge Warrior” (previewed on the most recent volume of the long-running Pay It All Back series of compilations); spaced out, psychedelic dub on tracks such as “That’s More Like It” and “Off The Spectrum”, and even an inspirational, soulful and warm R&B earworm with “Whatever It Takes”. A clue to this eclectic approach comes in the form of penultimate track “The People’s Sound”, which pays tribute to West London sound system operator Daddy Vego. All of these tracks could fit into the kind of blues parties and shubeen dances the band members grew up on, and whose influence forms an intrinsic part of their musical DNA. Producer Adrian Sherwood is on a hot streak currently, having masterminded late career renaissance records from the likes of Lee “Scratch” Perry and Horace Andy. On Hostile Environment he repeats the trick, teaming up with these incredible players and longtime friends to craft a worthy showcase for their collective talents.