Dub Colossus

Dub Colossus

Dub Colossus is a London-based group active since 2008, led by Nick Page, who is also one half of the British group Temple Of Sound. The project brings together Ethiopian musicians and experimental dub, and is described as an attempt to combine traditional East African music with reggae and dub-based production.

Formation and recording

The group first records in Addis Ababa, where the early sessions take place in a shed with intermittent electricity and water. Those recordings continue over a two-week period at Real World studios in Wiltshire, with involvement from the B&W Music Club. Page later brings most of the musicians back together in the west of England in 2008 to develop new material and complete earlier recordings.

Musical style

Dub Colossus’ sound includes traditional flutes, harps and one-string violins alongside dub effects, saxophone and organ. Their music also draws on Ethiopian popular music traditions while using ambient dub, club, dub and electronic elements.

Collaborators and personnel

The project features adventurous Ethiopian musicians, including singer Tsedenia Gebremarkos and piano player Samuel Yerga. Page is the central non-Ethiopian figure in the group, and the sessions are shaped by the practical support that makes it possible for the musicians to travel, record and work together.

Context

Page describes the project as giving Ethiopian musicians something new while remaining recognisably Ethiopian. The recording process is shaped by logistical issues such as visas, work permits and the cost of bringing musicians to the UK.