Despite their inherent uncommerciality, Asian Dub Foundation burst with star power. With names like Sun-J, Dr Das, Pandit G and Chandrasonic, they sound like cartoon superheroes, fearless bigot slayers whose agit-pop hybrid of at least a dozen genres of music (including hardstep jungle, ragga, reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, punk) cannot be easily defined or pigeonholed in simplified marketing terms. Put simply, it’s the new street music — at least in Great Britain — with as much energy as Germany’s digital hardcore techno-terrorists Atari Teenage Riot, or L.A’s Rage Against The Machine, and more creativity than anyone. Much like hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy on Yo! Bum Rush The Show, ADF made a bold introductory statement with their nearly impossible-to-find debut Facts And Fictions, and then melted brains with their second album, Rafi’s Revenge in 1998.
Like PE’s Fear Of A Black Planet, ADF perfects their initial innovations on their third effort, while making increasingly articulate lyrical and political statements. Deeder, who began MCing for ADF seven years ago at the age of 15, has matured into a nimble rapper, a masterful toaster and storyteller. Chandrasonic’s slashing guitars are more aggressive and catchy. The band’s mixology, turntablism and riddim science have been refined into peak powers. The album begins mid-riot with “Real Great Britain,” in which they waste no time in identifying the enemies and admonishing the phoneys — “shoegazer nation forever looking backwards/time to reject the sixties charade”. “Memory War” tackles government control of how history is taught, breaking it down with concise sitar ‘n’ dub knowledge. “New Way New Life” reigns in their attack with an uplifiting, melodic skank about their pride in their Asian community. These are field recordings of a cultural force in action. Rather than whine about the state of things, ADF back up their polemics by organizing a community based on ethnicity, politics and music (including education projects and ADFED), not unlike the commune centered around much maligned British anarchists Crass twenty years before. Sure, songs like “Collective Mode” are not very funny or sexy (the closest they come is with the undulating cover of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s “Taa Deem,” a welcome return from the overlooked tribute/remix album Star Rise), but they are certainly fun. Witness their shows, where raver kids, hipsters and crusty hippies alike jump and dance as the band kicks euphoric. Unlike one-trick-pony brethren like Fun-Da-Mental, ADF varies the pace, slowing things down with the apocalyptic Ennio Morricone Western of “The Judgement,” the spliffed out dub of “Truth Hides” and the delicately beautiful space-rock instrumental “Scaling New Heights.” “Committed To Life” features the words and voice of exiled American Black Panther freedom fighter Assata Shakur, who is also, coincidentally, also paid tribute to on Common’s new album. Community Music is an important and entertaining landmark. If there’s any justice, the supremely funky “Rebel Warrier” will become a huge club hit, making this a revolution the masses can dance to.
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