CULTCHA Clash Outer National Record Review:

Horace Andy - Midnight Scorchers

(2022 On-U Sound)

Horace Andy - Midnight Scorchers (2022 On-U Sound)

https://horaceandyon-usound.bandcamp.com/

https://bleep.com/release/321047-horace-andy-midnight-scorchers

This is the companion album of Andy's Midnight Rocker LP, which came out earlier this year on On-U Sound. It's not a strictly dub project, although there are, undoubtably, elements of it encountered throughout.

It was expected that there would be a remix version of Midnight Rocker, similar to the way that Lee "Scratch" Perry's masterpieces, Rainford and Heavy Rain, were released by the same label in 2019. The twist with On-U Sound versions is that you come to expect the unexpected...

The tunes from Midnight Rocker are reworked impeccably by Adrian Sherwood and company. Beginning with "Come After Midnight," a dubbed out version of "Try Love" that leads into "Midnight Scorcher," a retake on "Safe From Harm" featuring toasting from Daddy Freddy.

Sherwood flexes his dubbing abilities on "Away With The Gun And Knife," stripping "Watch Over Them" to it's core, slathering the drum and bass with otherworldly effects.

"Easy Money" is treated with Daddy Freddy's conscious lyricism for "Dirty Money Business," and "Rock To Sleep" is brought back as "Sleepy's Night Cap" with soothing cello work performed by Ivan "Celloman" Hussey that compliments Gaudi's melodic contributions.

"Feverish" is one for the sound clashes, an On-U Sound dub plate, you might say. Strictly for the hardcore!

"Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City" rides a bubbling dancehall riddim that accentuates the work of The Mighty Ital Horns, who contribute to several tracks on the LP.

Veteran deejay Lone Ranger makes an appearance on "Dub Guidance," a reworking of The Heptones classic, "Guiding Star."

"Mr. Bassie," an alteration of Andy's old-school hit, "Skylarking," is remixed with chatting by Daddy Freddy.

The brilliant album closes out with "Hell And Back," the version of "This Must Be Hell." The rhythm, derived from Take Five, has an ethereal feel to it, with melodica by Cyrus Richard.

This is one that shouldn't be missed. On-U Sound fans already know.

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