Miguel Migs ft. Capleton // The System [OM]
If, like myself, you like the dub side of house, Miguel Migs will never have been too far away from your playlist. To hear him DJ is proof further that he takes it as seriously as the soul aspect of the party. Bottom heavy sounds have always been a hallmark of his production style and on this occasion it has attracted the attention of legendary Dub producer Mad Professor.
One of the standout tracks from Miguel’s eclectic recent album “Outside the Skyline”, it already features dancehall don Capleton on vocal duties. In original form, it is a true-to-the-roots jam with a fair dash of boogie influence underpinning the unmistakable vocals which are part-scat, part song.
Mad Professor, as might be expected, reduces the tempo and places it firmly in a sonically futuristic , dub reggae territory with a natural flow…in fact it almost sounds it could be the original mix in truth! Reverbs, delays and system shaking bass line are all in place on his Vocal and Dub Versions. One for Francois K’s New York Monday night Deep Space for certain.
Naked Music stalwarts Petalpushers keep the tempo down on a steady house groove in hallmark fashion. Theirs is a mix that brings moody guitar riffs, squelches galore and urgent keys while keeping closer than close to the ethos of this release. Think warm up material on a Notting Hill Carnival street system…and you get the idea.
Thievery Corporation’s Rob Garza takes a more thumping approach. Taking snippets of this vocal – which must have been a dream! – he keeps the reggae feel with the keys and brings an acid wash to the party to take it peaktime. Moody and slammin’ in equal measure.
Finally, Rob Paine gives us another booty shaking dancehall version with horn stabs galore and electronic patterns to create one for better hip hop floors.
All in, it’s what we might expect from Migs, a producer who has often referenced Jamaica…now, and successfully, he embraces it wholeheartedly in the company of like-minded souls.
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Colin Cook
