THE PROCESS "Dub Instructor" Digital Reissue.

THE PROCESS digital reissue campaign continues on Bandcamp. Next up, it's the bands first full length dub release, 1994's "Dub Instructor". In addition, while going through the archives, we found a box of 100 cassette copies of The Process Dub Instructor album, from 1994. We have made them available here as a limited edition. 

Click here to purchase on Bandcamp. 

 

New Dabtronic Digital Single: Hellshire Fire.

Surprise! It's another new digital single from Dabtronic . 

They are coming fast and furious now, with the new jungle track from David Asher (THE PROCESS, DAB David Asher Band's) electronic dub project. Featuring the voice of a fiery preacher on Hellshire Beach JA, and a slamming instrumental. 

Buy Hellshire Fire on Bandcamp.  

DME Reviews DABTRONIC – I Blinked / Mezcakuba

DABTRONIC – I Blinked / Mezcakuba

Temple Gong 2024

https://dmme.net/dabtronic-i-blinked-mezcakuba/

A couple of deeply danceable cuts from Detroit master of rhythm-and-cruise.

Although there’s not been a lot of music from David Asher since "Dub World" by THE PROCESS and "D.A.B." by the band bearing his name saw the light of day, the Michigander has never stopped dabbling with rhythms, and DABTRONIC, his superficially pop-oriented project, is a testament to the restlessness of creative spirituality. A couple of singles that introduce this endeavor, “I Blinked” and “Mezcakuba” demonstrate two not-too-divergent aspects of what it’s all about, the latter going for soulful elation and the former for admiration of the precious, yet both of them exploring mighty grooves with a great focus on mood and detail.

DABTRONIC –

I Blinked

Featuring a couple of British singers, the steaming youngster Janique James and the late post-punk pioneer Mark Stewart, “I Blinked” is just one song – approached from eight different angles to expose the finesse of its instrumental track and the ethereal allure of its topline tune. There’s a riveting riff to serve as an axis for the mellifluous “Dabtronic Mix” before “Dabtronic Dub” engages the simmering beats and blistering brass in an insistent aural swirl – equally slow but much sexier – and before the voiceless presentation of the same unfolds into a stunningly mesmeric panorama of the new act’s possibilities. Those prospects shine on the facets the “On.U Sound” mixes – with and without the warblers whose more in-your-face roles are swapped here – add to the palette, yet they’re narrowed down on “UFOA Remix” where low frequencies come out to crawl around, and on the pair of the Alien Levi mixes of the piece, one with the murmuring Rex Joswig on board, where the song’s creepy elements try to replace its melodic core.

DABTRONIC –

Mezcakuba

While all these variants dance around a four-minute mark, “Mezcakuba” that preceded them in chronological terms offers “Misled Convoy Peripheral Nervous System Remix” as an extended version of the single’s primary cut. This almost twice as long, cinematic and highly percussive experiment takes under a glitterball what in its original form is a raga-tinged electronic jive with a snippet of folk vocalese drenched in cavernous sonics, and in “On.U Sound Out The Box Mix” is given economic, if tasty, daubs of guitar and spoken word. The results of such methods feel liturgically anchored to the very history of David Asher’s chosen genre, but the restrained rapture on display might be uniquely his own.

With his new project’s full-length album on the horizon, these two numbers signal a start of something genuinely exciting.

***** / **** 

Purchase Dabtronic Music Here

CULTCHA Clash Outer National Music Review:

The Process - Weapons Of Mass Percussion (2024 Remaster).

DAB (David Asher Band) - War Profiteers. 

Dabtronic ft. Janique James & Mark Stewart - I Blinked.

Selecta J-Cut

 This one is long overdue, it's been a rather hectic year and I had put writing on the back burner (apologies, David) and things kind of snowballed out of control so I failed to get back to it until now. I figured that I could cover all three David Asher related releases in a year end wrap-up (better late than never, right?)

David had reached out to me several years ago to review his band, The Process's album from 2016, titled Who Is This Mad Band? which was right up my alley and led me to start the CULTCHA Clash Outer National "digital zine." The follow-up dub version of the album, Dub World was subsequently reviewed. David also joined me for the first official Duburbia Podcast (see link below). We have since had a long distance friendship rooted in a mutual fandom of producer Adrian Sherwood (who Asher has worked with on several projects) and the On-U Sound label. (If you haven't already, check out the On-U Sound Sunday Roast hosted monthly by David).\

The Process - Weapons Of Mass Percussion Remaster

 Beginning with the remaster of Weapons Of Mass Percussion, which was originally released in 2006. Conceptually, the album deals with the politics of the time (post 9/11), including sound bites and samples of the media, manufacturing consent for the disastrous wars that came as a result of the attacks on that day. Musically, the sound is reminiscent of the futurist funk-dub of Tackhead and at times not too dissimilar from On-U Sound mainstays, Dub Syndicate, at other times dabbling in the electronic territory of drum & bass, such as in the title track. Overall, it's a heavy, dubbed-out, reggae rocker with traces Asher's distinct vocal stylings, peppered with George Bush or other talking heads from the media. It compels the listener to open their eyes and think outside of the establishment's narrative.  

The album may have been recorded nearly 20 years ago, but the subject matter is still relevant, and the re-master sounds superb! Check it out at Bandcamp:

  https://theprocess77.bandcamp.com/album/weapons-of-mass-percussion-2024-remaster

DAB David Asher Band - War Profiteers

War Profiteers by DAB David Asher Band is a single that was released digitally in May, 2024, the follow-up to DAB's 2021 debut LP DAB David Asher Band and 2023's Jah Shield. Straight forward modern reggae that does not shy away from social consciousness, shining light on the wicked, this is truly righteous music. 

It seems as if DAB's sound gets a little bit stronger on each release, looking forward to the next LP!

Get this one at Bandcamp: https://dabdavidasherband.bandcamp.com/album/war-profiteers

I Blinked by Dabtronic featuring Janique James and Mark Stewart is the most current of the three, released in November of 2024. This project explores, as the name would imply, the electronic side of Mr. Asher.  

Hailing from Birmingham, Janique James vocals are sultry and mysterious, juxtaposed with the late Mark Stewart's stylings, captured here on what must be one of his last recordings before his death in 2023.

There are 8 mixes including dub and instrumental versions as well as the original Dabtronic mix, as well as mixes by UFOA and Alien-Levi and On-U Sound - my personal favorite, no surprise there. The Sherwood mix is more sparse and arranged

 a little differently, but all of the versions are enjoyable.

The release is digital as well as limited edition vinyl and cd, 100 of each are available so get them while you can. Available from Bandcamp: https://dabtronic.bandcamp.com/album/i-blinked

CULTCHA Clash Outer National
https://www.cultchaclashouternational.com

'I Blinked' • Dabtronic's New Release Weaves Together an Intoxicating Dystopian Musical Landscape

 Review magazine. By Robert Martin. 

Listening Party Happening Saturday, January 4th at Audiogazing.

For four decades now musician David Asher has invested his considerable talents as an instrumentalist, vocalist, and visionary songwriter into cultivating a respected reputation as an iconoclastic creative force in the world of Reggae, Electronic, and Dub music. 

Based out of Vassar, Michigan, from his early groundbreaking work weaving together Rock & Reggae music with his band The Process, evolving into his later focus as an On-U-Sound DJ and with his current group The D.A.B. Band, Asher has continuously created great music without ever compromising his integrity in order to attain mass popularity.  Instead, he followed his own muse and never looked back.

Possessing an encyclopedic memory and knowledge of both Reggae music and Jamaican folk culture, mythology, and religion, in essence Asher’s music is an amalgamation of modern Dystopian spirituals, songs of revolution, and a clarion call to liberate the mind, body, and spirit from the shackles of oppression and injustice - much of it inspired by the purity of his musical heroes Bob Marley and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, whose music was also fired by spiritual power and political purpose as much as it was for inspirational entertainment.

Asher’s current transformation with his latest project Dabtronic consists of a unique brand of concoction, creation, and mystical interpretations rendered through the ears of different mixes by world-class producers designed to explore ways that reggae, ska, dub, rocksteady, dancehall, and reggae/soul fusion music can all flow together and give different textures, sensations, and reactions to the same basic song or track.

His newest release with Dabtronic titled I Blinked is an original composition written and performed by Asher along with British vocalist Janique James and Mark Stewart, an English singer who recently passed away and was also a founding member of The Pop Group, a pioneering post-punk band notable for sonic experimentation, political conviction, and a willingness to collaborate.

With densely throbbing yet addictive instrumentation and coloration, the song itself is replete with lyrics forging a foreboding clarity that sparkles like glass shattering on a Dystopian highway: I Blinked / The mornings they are always too early /  I was invoiced for the air I had breathed / Happiness is charged by the meter. And my favorite line by Stewart: ‘Memories are fuel to burn for a brighter future of impossible possibilities.

Taking the framework of this single song as the foundation, seven different track mixes are included on the album, three mixed by Asher and Chris Lewis at Fire Hyena Studio, two by legendary On U Sound producer Adrian Sherwood in Ramsgate UK, one mixed by Pats Doktor from the Netherlands, and two mixed by Alien Levi out of Germany, with a dark mumbling vocal overdub woven into the track by Rex Joswig.

Asher says  Dabtronic began as a conceptual idea he developed to work with different artists from around the world within the Electronic/Dub context where he would play all the instruments and bring in different vocalists or instrumentalists to do different tracks of each song presented to them. 

“Dub is a musical style that grew out of reggae in the late 1960s and early 1970s that consists of remixes of recordings created by significantly manipulating the original, usually through the removal of vocal parts or emphasis of the rhythm section, along with the application of different studio effects” he explains.

“By the time the 90s rolled around, it was common for bands like Depeche Mode to record a song and release two or three different mixes of it,” he continues. “I enjoy the different takes various producers will do on a track. With some there are subtle differences, whereas others go pretty deep.  Jamaican dub music is the stuff I grew up on, and I loved the process of working with these different artists, which was a great blessing.”

“This release is also one of  Mark Stewart’s last recordings.  He was really big artist in the UK during the second wave of Punk, right around the time groups like The Clash and The Slits came out, only was from Bristol instead of London and not as well known internationally, despite the fact they had three or four albums that did really well in the UK.”

“Janique James is also a really interesting performer,” continues Dave. “She’s out of Birmingham and wrote some unique lyrics about being trapped by geography and imprisoned by peoples’ ideas about what you should be in this world.  Not everybody did the same thing with every mix and it’s a lot like gears shifting while other doors are closing and very atmospheric.”

“Mark and Janique wrote the lyrics and handled the  vocals, and I wrote the music for the most part,” continues Asher. “Mark Stewart was a well-known performer who didn’t’ necessarily possess a pretty voice so  much as a necessary one that was politically aware and visionary and similar to Trent Reznor in the sense he would use the approach William Burrough’s did of adopting cut-up word techniques to assemble new lyrical structures.”

The release launch for I Blinked will be happening on Saturday, January 4th at Audiogazing in Saginaw for a Listening Party that will go from 1:00 - 2:00 PM to celebrate the vinyl and CD release of Dabtronic’s latest outing, and Asher will be signing copies of the release during the event. Copies will also be available exclusively on Bandcamp at the moment, while all of Asher’s work with Dabtronic, The D.A.B. Band and his catalog with The Process are also available on Bandcamp and Spotify.

Asher says initial reaction to this latest release by Dabtronic has been strong, with half of the firstl vinyl and CD pressings having already been purchased during pre-sales, and orders coming in from places like Japan, Finland, the Netherlands, and Scotland, to name but a few.

Additionally, he is gearing up The D.A.B. Band with two new single releases titled Jah Shield and War Profiteers along with two new members,  guitarist Reichlin Small and 5-string bassist Boe Glasschild, who joined the group after the passing of former bassist Louis Gladney six months ago. Their next scheduled appearance is Friday, April 4th at the Hash Bash Cup at Wyndham Garden in Ann Arbor.

Asher also continues to host his On-U-Sound Sunday Roast Podcast, which can be heard on the last Sunday of every month at 3:00 PM EST on Wigeon Airwaves, where he has broadcast 95 shows since 2016 and clocked thousands of listeners.  On  December 29th producer Adrian Sherwood will be hosting the show and bringing exclusive mixes to air.

To learn more about Dabtronic and listen to their work or purchase their merch please visit this link:  https://dabtronic.bandcamp.com/ 

 

 

New Release From Dabtronic with Janique James and Mark Stewart

Pre-release now available on Bandcamp, full release November 22nd 2024. The new long awaited EP from Dabtronic, featuring stunning Birmingham UK singer Janique James, and the late, legendary Bristol vocalist Mark Stewart. Eight mixes from luminaries such as Dubmaster Adrian Sherwood, UFOA and others, the EP is yet another international project spearheaded by David Asher, with recording and mixing done in the USA, at On.U Sound Studios in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. Limited to 100 Cd and 100 vinyl pressings. 

https://dabtronic.bandcamp.com/album/i-blinked

New single: DAB David Asher Band "War Profiteers".

 

Just released Bandcamp Exclusive: DAB David Asher Band "War Profiteers". New single, vocal and instrumental, speaking against the war based economies around the world, and those who profit from them. 

Buy Here

THE PROCESS Blood and Bones Limited CD reissue

 

Just reissued, a limited edition CD of 2002's "Blood and Bones", by THE PROCESS. Produced by The Process and Billboard charting Producer Gee Pierce. Roger Steffens of The Beat called the album "A seamless fusion of styles, merging into a coherent whole-The Process fuses a fierce pop-friendly sound with rootical reggae vibes to create an ear-pleasing, soul-satisfying mix." 

Purchase on Bandcamp

Full Release Today: THE PROCESS 2024 Remaster

 

Full release today, March 9th: Bandcamp exclusive, The Process Weapons Of Mass Percussion 2024 Remaster. The digital release includes the nine original Gee Pierce/David Asher mixes, remastered by Christopher Lewis, in keeping with David Asher's original vision for the album.
"There is a heavy, heavy dubwise treatment throughout most of the session, with the best (and most disturbing) war on terror/911 soundbytes yet to be interwoven with music, and though the use of vocals is limited, where they do appear they range from the commanding (in the case of group leader David Asher), to the ethereal, to the shamanic. Middle Eastern percussions and chants. Robotic voices and electronic blips and bleeps. The repeated images of the Rasta soldier and the prophecy of Armageddon. In my mind the heavy, electronic dub (with an organic core) put together by Mr. Asher and The Process on "Weapons of Mass Percussion" sits quite nicely alongside the best, most mutant dub from studios/labels such as On-U Sound, Wordsound, and B.S.I Records. Great stuff.....pointing to a brave new world for The Process... and us all. " Dr. Strange Dub Echo Chamber KFAI-FM. 

Stream and purchase here:

The Process Weapons Of Mass Percussion 2024 Remaster.

 

Pre-released today, full release March 9th: The Process Weapons Of Mass Percussion 2024 Remaster. The digital release includes the nine original Gee Pierce/David Asher mixes, remastered by Christopher Lewis, in keeping with David Asher's original vision for the album.
"There is a heavy, heavy dubwise treatment throughout most of the session, with the best (and most disturbing) war on terror/911 soundbytes yet to be interwoven with music, and though the use of vocals is limited, where they do appear they range from the commanding (in the case of group leader David Asher), to the ethereal, to the shamanic. Middle Eastern percussions and chants. Robotic voices and electronic blips and bleeps. The repeated images of the Rasta soldier and the prophecy of Armageddon. In my mind the heavy, electronic dub (with an organic core) put together by Mr. Asher and The Process on "Weapons of Mass Percussion" sits quite nicely alongside the best, most mutant dub from studios/labels such as On-U Sound, Wordsound, and B.S.I Records. Great stuff.....pointing to a brave new world for The Process... and us all. " Dr. Strange Dub Echo Chamber KFAI-FM. 

Purchase on Bandcamp

Another new review of Jah Shield

 

                                 

  New review from the Strangefest9 blog:

 

  "One of the best reggae artists of the 21st century… Check out The David Asher Band’s latest single “Jah Shield” and listen to them bring back the 70’s Golden Age Of Reggae… Highly recommend buying this album to chill out and spiritually awaken ; )) It’s not often you can be enlightened buying music for a dollar, but this is it."

                                                            Buy the single on Bandcamp

Review of "Jah Shield" in CULTCHA Clash Outer National

 
CULTCHA Clash Outer National Music Review:
DAB (David Asher Band) - Jah Shield
(2023 Bandcamp) by Selecta J-Cut

David Asher is an individual who puts his whole heart and soul into his music, and it shows. From his time fronting Detroit's premier reggae / rock band, The Process, to his more recent work with DAB, he's been putting out original music for over 30 years.

Listen to Jah Shield 

The first new single since 2021's self-titled DAB LP does not disappoint. From the start of the track one finds themselves immersed with infectious rhythms and positive vibrations.

David's vocal delivery is raw and soulful, lyrical content is righteous. According to Asher... "about the Creator's protection from jealous bad-minded people, vampires and back-biters." The instrumentation sounds fresh, reggae lovers will want to hear this.

Production is high quality, by Mr. Asher and Chris Lewis. the sound is full, rich and crystal clear. Played in a club, this one is sure to get some motion on the dance floor!  

Get the digital release, including instrumental version, from Bandcamp.

https://dabdavidasherband.bandcamp.com/album/jah-shield 

 

 

"Jah Shield" Dab David Asher Band full single released today!

 

Full release today! The 2 track single "Jah Shield", the first new music from Dab David Asher Band since 2021. The single features a driving groove, charging Ethio-horns, and powerful lyrics about the Creator's protection from jealous bad-minded people, vampires and back-biters. The digital single also features an instrumental version of the track. Check it out! 

Stream and purchase on Bandcamp

 

New music from Dab David Asher Band

Pre-released today, full release November 1st: The 2 track single "Jah Shield", the first new music from Dab David Asher Band since 2021. The single features a driving groove, charging Ethio-horns, and powerful lyrics about the Creator's protection from jealous bad-minded people, vampires and back-biters. The digital single also features an instrumental version of the track. Check it out!
Pre-order on Bandcamp

Dabtronic Single Released today!

Released today! Digital and physical copies available. The first release from David Asher's (The Process, Dab David Asher Band), new electronic dub project Dabtronic. Mezcakuba (3 track Single) features collaborations with the UK's On-U Sound, and New Zealand's Misled Convoy. Limited to 100 copies worldwide.
Buy the single HERE.

Dabtronic Pre-release today!

 

 

Pre-released today 02-13-2023, full release 03-10-2023: The first release from David Asher's (The Process, Dab David Asher Band), new electronic dub project Dabtronic. Mezcakuba (3 track Single) features collaborations with the UK's On-U Sound, and New Zealand's Misled Convoy. A full length album is also in the works, featuring more amazing collaborators from around the world. Stay tuned for release information! Includes digital pre-order of Mezcakuba (3 Track Single). You get 1 track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released. CD single limited to 100 copies worldwide.

                                               Buy the pre-release

Dabtronic Single Release

 

 

Coming soon, the first release from David Asher's new electronic dub project Dabtronic. Mezcakuba (3 track Single) features collaborations with the UK's On-U Sound, and New Zealand's Misled Convoy. A full length album is also in the works, featuring more amazing collaborators from around the world. Stay tuned for release information! #dabtronic #dub #dubmusic #onusound #misledconvoy

Blood and Bones by The Process just re-issued!

 

Just released, digital version of 2002's "Blood and Bones", by The Process. Produced by The Process and Billboard charting Producer Gee Pierce. Roger Steffens of The Beat called the album "A seamless fusion of styles, merging into a coherent whole-The Process fuses a fierce pop-friendly sound with rootical reggae vibes to create an ear-pleasing, soul-satisfying mix." Check it out HERE!

On-U Sound Records 40th Anniversary Party Live Part 1.

 

Now streaming on demand: Pay It All Back Revisited! It's part one of a special 4 hour live recording of the On-U Sound Records 40th Anniversary Party at the O2 Kentish Forum. Featuring live mixing from Adrian Sherwood, and performances from Denise Sherwood, Rita Morar, Horace Andy, Creation Rebel, GAUDI, Daddy Freddy and more! On the ON.U Sound Sunday Roast, David Asher hosts. Don't miss it! (Originally aired on Widgeon Theatre Boat Airwaves). 

                                                                Click here to listen.

The Process on Bandcamp

THE PROCESS albums are being reissued on Bandcamp. 

Check them out HERE!