Riddim Clash

by John BushRiddim Clash, a collaborative soundclash featuring DJ Spooky's Paul Miller facing off against Twilight Circus Dub Sound System's Ryan Moore, finds Miller being dragged down from his ivory tower to wrestle at ground level with Moore's raw, streetwise dub. The results are very impressive, each artist finding in the other's production style not only differences to spar over but also elements to combine. Moore's contributions include the devotion to classic dub (King Tubby, Augustus Pablo), the inspired percussion consisting of closely miked live drums and technoid basslines, and, best of all, the requisite sense of huge spaces that modern dub creates better than any other music. Miller's contributions are more difficult to decipher, since dub is a heavy influence but not his usual forte. Still, the restlessness of these tracks, the sense of searching for something beyond, speaks to his influence, and he also contributes the production intricacies that make this an excellent headphone record. Riddim Clash also permits solo space for other musicians, including the evocative gypsy style of violin player Daniel Bernard Roumain on the highlight, "Other Planes of Dub." A rare example of collaborative effort where both artists sound refreshed and energized, Riddim Clash marks a high point in the discography of both participants.