Twilight Circus Dub Sound System

It was only a matter of time before Ryan Moore employed vocals and other instrumentalists to grace his one-man roots train. Opening the action is Big Youth, with a surprisingly slow intro to the rest of the album. Youth still has the voice, but his flow and the corresponding rhythm drag a bit. It would have made more sense to start off the album with the superb Luciano cut "What We Gonna Do.” The evergreen Ranking Joe's version is just as good. Aswad's Mighty Three horns are next up, with an arrangement that doesn't suit them — it's too busy, as is the rest of the track. Usually Moore is a master at keeping all ingredients balanced and with plenty of room, but not this time. Their other cuts, "Jericho Dub" and "Blue Motion" are much better collaborations. Michael Rose, the former Black Uhuru vocalist, tones down his delivery for his cut — I've never heard him sound so subdued, but it's an interesting approach to the track. Brother Culture also flows well on his cut. Individual tracks are excellent on this release, but it doesn't hang together as an album as well as other TCDSS works in the past. Nonetheless, this is well worth buying, showing how the new and old, Jamaican and non-Jamaican elements can produce a potent blend for all reggae lovers to enjoy.