[.ca] Dreams of Freedom: Ambient Translations of Bob Marley in Dub

Chronique amazon.fr:
Après avoir travaillé sur les compositions de grands noms de la "World Music", Bill Laswell ne pouvait pas ne pas confronter sa musique à celle de Bob Marley. S'ajoutant à l'énorme discographie du producteur, bassiste, compositeur, l'album Dreams of Freedom se définit très bien lui-même sur sa pochette comme "Ambient Translations of Bob Marley in Dub". Bill Laswell revisite sur ce disque, réalisé en 1997, quelques titres du maître du reggae. "Rebel Music", "No woman No Cry ", "So Much Trouble"... En tout, onze morceaux cuisinés à la sauce "ambient" de Laswell : dub, nappes de sons "ambiancives" et bribes de voix du grand Bob. L'esprit de Dreams of Freedom correspond tout à fait au but du label Axiom Records, créé en 1990 par Bill Laswell pour développer les explorations personnelles et délirantes du maître de l'Ambient World. Certes, le son "roots" de Bob Marley est bien loin, mais le génie de Bill Laswell réussit à nous faire plonger dans ce disque "planant". La rencontre entre le rastaman et l'explorateur de sons se révèle positive et originale. Si rien n'a été épargné à Marley en matière de remix et autres bidouillages, peut-être que, pour une fois, le grand Bob ne se retourne pas dans sa tombe. --Charles Delaval

outstanding mix of dub and ambient:
Gets your groove on or lulls you to dreamland, depending on your mood. A rare gem. Expect quite a bit of tampering and ambient sounds and big dubby drum and bass licks from the original masters. NO BEAT BOX HERE. High praise to Laswell for that restraint. It's wonderful to hear the bass and drums from these big talents up front and isolated. The only track that is average is No Woman No Cry. Hard to say why, just not the best song for dub treatment.

let freedome ring:
i really only respect a tribute if it has roots and i think that this one has roots. Chriss balckwell (bobs original producer and the owner of island records) and bill laswell were in kingston and chriss mentioned helping him to work on a marley translation project. and laswell not knowing bob personally he in true dub style which any one in dub mentallity would have done decided to take some of his most favorite songs and not just give you another bob compillation for you to breath new life into a soul not just glorify over and over again. what do you think dub is its just regge classics rut up retranslated reverbed delayed.. new life. imagine a phychadelic spirtual ambient dream relaxing listening to your regular marley it might turn into it naturally try it. only features marley in maybe 3 songs sparcelly and the original backround singers. all new mixes new instuments never heard before im marley tablas, new keyboards, cut ups, dense delays,dub

Please just stick to the roots of reggae:
I love Marley as much as the next Rasta, but please oh please, only listen if you are truly a fan of whale sounds and bird sounds to fall asleep to. This is an ambient translation alright. I think Bob would have loved to see this NOT happen. I am a true roots fan and my tastes go far beyond just Bob, but I do know when I am hearing something that doesn't belong on the shelf mixed with reggae. I wish people would just leave Bob's music alone. It's like adding Slayer's guitar work over the top of John Tesh's greatest hits and calling it Dreams of Carnage: A Satanic Translation of a dork's fairy music. Something like that. Well whatever...buy this if you want...don't go around saying that I didn't warn you!

MARLEY DUB:
Marley tracks without Bob Marley singing, is what this CD is all about. If the listeners haven't been exposed to the dub sound it may not be for them. Overall, I enjoy the dub sound so it fits into the reggae that I listen to. Definitely cool out music to chill to. But nothing compares to singing and messages of Bob.

I'm late to the party...:
I remember ignoring this album when it was originally released because the thought of an ambient Marley record sounded lame. What a terrible mistake on my part! This CD just flattened me! There's a lot more going on than just a typical dub remix so some purists may not dig it, but if you appreciate ambient and good dub this is all you. I can't believe how well these songs work in this context (with the possible exception of No Woman No Cry; it's good but not great.) This is a sweet record to chill out to or to put on when you want the mood laid back. It sounds cool in the headphones but in a good system with big bass it really opens up. Bass players take heed: Aston "Family Man" Barrett will take you to school and in this dubbed out mix he's never been more up front. Listen and learn. I was concerned that this was just an excuse to use the Marley name but it was obviously done with the love and respect that the music and Marley's spirituality deserves. Praise to Bill Laswell for doing it right. Wish I'd caught on sooner, but better late than never.

• Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)
• No Woman, No Cry
• Heathen
• Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
• Waiting in Vain
• So Much Trouble in the World
• Exodus
• Burnin' and Lootin'
• Is This Love
• One Love/People Get Ready
• Midnight Ravers