IRATION STEPPAS – ORIGINAL DUB DAT 2xLP - DBQKLP05
After 30 years in the scene, Iration Steppas have teamed up with Dubquake Records to
dust off two of their ground-breaking album: “Original Dub D.A.T.”. The legendary Leeds sound system crew has kindly provided Rico
O.B.F. with the original recordings which have been remastered for a 2020 exclusive re-
release.
When “Original Dub D.A.T.” and “Dubz From De Higher Regionz” first came out on wax,
only 8 and 10 tracks made it to the 12’’ LP. These new editions are a complete upgrade
from the original release: for the first time, the whole 15 tracks on each CD are getting
pressed onto a double vinyl! And the icing on the cake, is that the artwork on the inner
leaflet is made of old school pictures and flyers, taking you straight down memory lane.
Launched in the early 90s, Iration Steppas is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most fierce
sound systems. Members Mark Iration, Dennis Rootical and Sammy Dread have been
building their reputation while pushing forward their own militant sound internationally.
Originally released in 1996 and 2004, “Original Dub D.A.T.” and “Dubz From De Higher
Regionz” are the first Iration Steppas albums. Written by the young Mark Iration and
Dennis Rootical in Mark’s High Rise studio in Leeds. While being inspired by rocksteady
and roots, their artistry was also massively influenced by hip-hop, acid and house. The
dub making duo spent hours fiddling about with analog gear such as the Akai S950
sampler trying to give a new meaning to their music. They spent countless nights mixing
simultaneously on an analog desk until early morning, recording the rawest cuts straight
onto D.A.T. tape. These albums are a testament to Iration Steppa’s innovation, creating
a whole new fresh sound in Dub music: the UK digital steppers sound.
While technological advancements have set the standard for sound systems to play their
music digitally, Iration still gets widely credited for having been pioneers in the use of
D.A.T. recordings within the dub community.
Today, Iration Steppas remains one of UK’s hardest working sound systems. Whether
it’s for hosting the famous Subdub nights held in Leeds West Indian Centre, playing at
the best dances all over the world or cooking up monstrous dubs in their High Ris studio, Iration continues to inspire the new generation of sound systems coming through.
Tracklist:
ORIGINAL DUB D.A.T. 2020 RE-ISSUE
A1 : Lightning Dub
A2 : Fear Not
A3 : Running Away (Remix)
A4 : Scud Missile (Remix)
B1 : Untold Melody
B2 : Kilimanjaro (Remix)
B3 : Akasha
B4 : Reminiscence Dub
C1 : Brain Damage
C2 : Zulu Tribe
C3 : Remove Ya
C4 : High Rise Vibration (Remix)
D1 : Lightning (Pieces Like Rice Grain Mix)
D2 : International Footstep (Remix)
D3 : Way Down In A Babylon (Remix)
