Release – Hostile Environment is the first album in more than 40 years from the legendary Creation Rebel, responsible for classics such as Dub from Creation and Starship Africa.
The trio of Crucial Tony, Eskimo Fox and Magoo are back with producer Adrian Sherwood to create a modern spin on their heavyweight dubwise rhythms.
Listen to “Swiftly (The Right One)” here:
It is the seventh album credited to Creation Rebel, who originally coalesced as a live backing group for the late, great Prince Far I, in the process sharing stages with the likes of The Clash, The Slits and Don Cherry.
Vocals from their former band leader, preserved on archive tapes, feature on the new record, as well as guest contributions from the likes of Cyrus Richards (musical director for Horace Andy and the Dub Asante Band), Italian synth maestro Gaudi, and fast chat king Daddy Freddy.
The album title refers to former British Prime Minister Theresa May’s controversial policy towards asylum seekers, and the recent Windrush scandal, all too relevant to a group of musicians of Jamaican origin who have spent their whole lives operating in the darkening shadow of a former colonial power with a staggeringly short memory for historic wrongs.
Producer Sherwood masterminded late career renaissance records from the likes of Lee “Scratch” Perry and Horace Andy. On Hostile Environment he repeats the trick, teaming up with the players and longtime friends to craft a worthy showcase.
Check out Hostile Environment on Bandcamp:
