Reggae sounds topped with touches of electro and trademark oriental harmonies, committed lyrics standing up for a future that those in power will never annihilate, an evocative cover… In late September, the seven members of Dub Inc are releasing their 8th studio album, entitled Futur.
Dub Inc’s new record is in the wake of Millions, conceived during the lockdowns and nourished by the experience of isolation. The band transcend their concerns about the future, transforming them into hope – that of seeing individuals finally unite and build a world that is respectful of everyone.
With Futur, Dub Inc focus on their fundamentals: the need for collective strength, diversity, respect for the past and identities, and the joy of being together. Here, however, the tone is more urgent. Faced with climate change, geopolitical issues, the social difficulties that our societies are experiencing, time is running out. We can no longer wait: acting, each at their own level, is not only possible, but essential.
Without certainty but with conviction, without political inclinations but simply with their words, Dub Inc thus confirm their place within the reggae movement, supported on this album by several collaborations.
With Balik (Nos Héros), the band from Saint-Etienne pay homage to their ancestors, in that they can be a source of inspiration to build a more collective future in a present that lacks models and figures. With Taïro (Il est temps), they call for the resumption of our lives in response to the system. “À nous d’agir, finis les blah-blah” (It’s up to us to act, no more blah-blah- blah). With Democratoz (Mazal), Hakim sings lyrics in Kabyle which sublimate the oriental tone of his voice. The LP also includes collaborations with Alborosie (Bad Boy) and with Kumar (People of the world).
Through the lyrics and the multiplicity of the aesthetics that blend into this 8th album, Dub Inc once again affirm the message of humanity and universality that has driven them for more than 20 years.
Guided by their relationship with the public, the band go for a Tour du monde: “Avant de poser nos valises/Je rêve et réalise/Que chez nous, c’est partout à la fois” (Before we decide to put down our suitcases/I dream and realize/That home is everywhere at once). They also sing about constancy (Mélodie Rebelle) “Chaque note en devient vitale/Même si la folie d’vient normale /C’est à nous-mêmes qu’il faudra rester fidèles” (Each note becomes vital/Even if madness becomes normal /We will have to remain faithful to ourselves first); and about their bulwark against the imprudence of the system (Limites) “Tous les jours la musique évite que nos yeux se ferment” (Every day, music prevents our eyes from closing). And of course, Dub Inc sing about their values, distilled in each of the 15 tracks that make up this Future.
After two years away from their public, after a summer season marked by reunions with the scene in France and abroad, and while their tour will continue from autumn until 2023, the Saint- Etienne-based band offer, with Futur, a breath of fresh air which will give their listeners the strength to face the current gloom in the world. Futur is an opportunity to take stock, and a record marked by the maturity acquired by the band over the years, as much as the unalterable optimism of its members.
NMR (photo: press Dub Inc)
