Legendary UK dub producer Adrian Sherwood will release Sherwood At The Controls Volume 2: 1985-1990 (On-U Sound) on June 24th. In anticipation of the upcoming collection, Sherwood has shared Bim Sherman‘s previously unreleased track, “Haunting Ground Dub“. Known as “reggae’s sweetest voice”, in the 1970’s Bim Sherman recorded roots tunes as a struggling musician in Jamaica–before eventually moving to London where he joined Sherman’s diverse musical set.
A pioneer in the realms of dub, Adrian Sherwood was also tight with many of the post-punk musicians of the time, as evidenced by Sherwood At The Controls Volume 1: 1979 – 1984‘s inclusion of bands like The Fall, Shriekback, and The Slits. Tessa Pollitt, of The Slits, says of Bim Sherman:
“…I loved what he was doing with Adrian Sherwood. I used to listen to him again and again and again. Tracks like “My Whole World,” “Love Forever” and “Revolution/World Of Dispensation”: I listened to the purity of that music all the time, or more specifically, what attracted me was the purity which was so evident in Bim Sherman’s voice.”
Bim Sherman worked with On-U Sound collectives like New Age Steppers, Singers & Players, and Dub Syndicate, but, on this day Sherwood explains:
“Bim had started his Century label and had a house a few hundred yards from Southern Studios, near the police station in Wood Green. I originally recorded this for On-U Sound but gave him the vocal to use on his album. That’s Style Scott on drums, and I’m fairly sure it’s Crucial Tony on guitar.”
In his honeyed and ethereal tones, Sherman reminds us on “Haunting Ground Dub”: “Get up, stand up/Don’t let them take your rights”, while brooding bass meets the occasional sun-storm of echoing guitar. Sherwood keeps the dub unexpected with strange rhythmic flourishes and an urban edge to his reverberating sound.
Track Listing –
1. Mark Stewart – Hypnotised (12″ Mix) [1985]
2. Tackhead – Mind At The End Of The Tether [1987]
3. Doug Wimbish & Fats Comet – Don’t Forget That Beat?(alternate dub) [1985]
04. Flux – The Value Of Nothing [1986]
5. The Unknown Cases – Masimbabele 89 (Adrian?Sherwood Remix) [1989]
6. Keith LeBlanc – These Sounds [1989]
7. The Beatnigs – Television (Dance Mix) [1988]
8. Pankow – Girls & Boys [1987]
9. Ministry – All Day Remix [1986]
10. Rinf – Big Bondage (Kinky Sex Wet Mix) [1987]
11. KMFDM – Don’t Blow Your Top (Adrian Sherwood Remix) [1988]
12. Dub Syndicate – Snatch A Style [1985]*
13. Lee Perry – Music & Science Madness [1987]*
14. Bim Sherman – Haunting Ground Dub [1986]*
15. African Head Charge – Hold Some More Version [1990]*
16. Dub Syndicate – Early Mafia [1990]*
* – Previously Unreleased
