Asian Dub Foundation

Asian Dub Foundation

Asian Dub Foundation is a London-based English electronica group formed in 1993. Its sound combines breakbeat, dub, dancehall, hip-hop and reggae with Asian influences, and it is also described as drawing on drum and bass and electronic music. The group’s lyrics are largely political, and its music brings together hard ragga-jungle rhythms, Indo-dub basslines, sitar-inspired guitar lines and sounds taken from the members’ parents’ record collections.

Line-up and development

The group includes Chandrasonic, Dr. Das, Aktarv8r, Brian Fairbairn, Pandit G, Sun-J, Deeder Zaman and Al Rumjen. Early members include John Pandit, also known as Pandit G, on turntables; Deeder Zaman, also known as Master D, on vocals; and Aniruddha Das, also known as Dr Das, on bass. Steve Chandra Savale, known as Chandrasonic, later joins on guitar, while Sanjay Tailor, or Sun-J, contributes MIDI and sound effects. Bubble-E appears as a dancer.

Deeder Zaman leaves the group in 2000. After that, Pritphal Rajput, also known as Cyber, joins on dhol and tabla, along with Rocky Singh on drums, MC Spex on vocals, MC Lord Kimo, and Akhtar Ahmed, also known as Aktarv8r, whose recruitment comes through the group’s education project, ADFED. In 2005, Ghetto Priest joins with the release of Tank. By August 2007, the group is performing with two new vocalists, Al Rumjen, who previously plays with King Prawn, and Aktarv8r, who returns after MC Spex leaves. Martin Savale, described as Chandrasonic’s brother, later joins on bass.

Recording and style

In late 2007, Asian Dub Foundation records the album Punkara, which appears in spring 2008. The group’s work sits across alternative electronica, dub, hip-hop and related forms, with a strong emphasis on rhythm, bass and socially conscious lyrics.