Yard Act announce dub version of debut album ‘The Overload’ by Mad Professor
Yard Act have announced a new dub version of their debut studio album ‘The Overload’.
Created by dub music producer and engineer Mad Professor, ‘The Overdub’ has been previewed by an alternative take on ‘Pour Another’, titled ‘Pour More’ (listen below). The collection is available on vinyl now via Rough Trade.
It comes after Yard Act teased on Monday (November 14) that a “surprise collab” was “incoming”.
In a statement, frontman James Smith explained: “Back when I first moved to Leeds and discovered Jumbo records, I used to treat myself to a record with my student loan once every two or three weeks (bloody students, scrounging bastards).
“Jumbo always had (and still does have) an excellent dub/reggae selection – and actually released reggae records on its own ‘Jumbo label’ imprint back in the 70s (how ace is that!?).”
He continued: “I had a grounding in reggae from my dad who’d turned me onto the likes of Burning Spear and Linton Kwesi Johnson, but didn’t really know much about dub music beyond a Bob Marley record produced by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry he’d given me called ‘African Herbsman’.”
Smith went on to recall how he then “started dabbling in dub” and discovered Mad Professor, who he’s “been a fan [of] ever since”.
“Mad Prof truly is a living legend and it is an absolute honour to have had him stick his dubby fingers all over ‘The Overload’,” he added.
“His bass heavy mixes, for me, are a gorgeous reminder of what supports my ramblings, a reminder of the man I made them with, the backbone of this band, and the genesis of all these musical ideas that started off our adventure together.
“These mixes pay tribute to the man with four strings, those low end things, Mr. Ryan Needham, and whenever I hear this record, not only will I be reminded of the Mad Professor’s greatness, but of our Ry’s as well. NOW GO BLOW SOME SPEAKERS!”
Mad Professor commented: “‘The Overdub’ is the natural title. When presented with the project, I thought to treat it in the most creative way possible, working with Joe AriwA, Black Steel, and Horseman. Naturally with such a team, the over dubs, came before the dubs!!!”
The full tracklist for the record is as follows:
- ‘The Overdub’
- ‘Horse Meat’
- ‘Pay Dub’
- ‘Richer Dub’
- ‘Dub Incident’
- ‘Dub A Witness’
- ‘Blind Dub’
- ‘Quarantine The Dub’
- ‘Dub Poppies’
- ‘Pour More’
- ‘100% Dub’
Yard Act released the Mercury Prize-nominated ‘The Overload’ back in January. In a four-star review, NME described the project as “a wonderfully wacky debut”.
Speaking to NME last month, Yard Act said that fans should expect their second album “sometime late next year”, and teased that the record was “about a roadie for U2 who has a son called Bono“.
“We do need some time to record it,” Smith explained. “We’ve not had time yet. We’re going to crack on with it.”
Yard Act are due to play a short run of UK and Ireland headline shows next spring “in four of the greatest venues these fair isles have ever seen”, including the O2 Academy Brixton in London.
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Tom Skinner
NME
