A band I first became aware of when I worked in London in the ’90s I heard a single that mixed up some abrasive flavours full of easter rhythms and much heavier Western rock, these East London upstarts were making music on their own terms and were forging a brave and interesting path all of their own and with lyrics that made you take notice of what they had to say. The last I heard was via their ‘Tank’ album and they were still kicking up a Shit storm being unpredictable and powerful.

Fast forward a couple of decades and once again they appear on my radar and to be fair they’ve lost none of the youthful energy perhaps stinging it with a more mature and measured accents. They’ve most notably roped in some big hitters here to help achieve a wide-ranging melting pot of alternative music most notably Iggy for a full-on take of ‘No Fun’, this isn’t the only helping hand but for me, it’s the most enjoyable but not the most diverse. That goes to Stewart Lee whose spoken words get chopped for yet more heavy content, Sinéad O’Connor singing on ‘1000 Mirrors’ its a heavy dub tinged with a sense of sadness but played with volume its a powerful tune. 

You also get Radiohead, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Primal Scream playing with your senses, and Chuck D and his public enemy chop shop of ‘Black Steel’, a tune I’ve not played for a while. Although it might not hit as hard as the original, it’s still an awesome version.

It all fits perfectly well in true ADF style not playing by anyone else’s rules besides their own, decades on they’re still going strong and mixing it up into the 21st century. Sure there are artists outside my comfort zone and who I’ve never heard of contributing but that’s the beauty of records like this from one track to the next you won’t have a clue and if a song doesn’t float your boat the next will.

Expand your mind and dive into some alternative, subversive mash-ups musically, but remember to always play ADF loud. You have been warned.

Buy Here

“94-Now: Collaborations” 

featuring Iggy Pop, Sinéad O’Connor, Stewart Lee, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Primal Scream, Chuck D & many more out 27th September

Asian Dub Foundation is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, and to commemorate this the band proudly release the album “94-Now: Collaborations” on 27th September. “94-Now: Collaborations” showcases their many iconic collaborations and will be available on CD, vinyl and digital formats.

The album features 11 tracks including: “No Fun” with Iggy Pop reinterpreting the classic Stooges song with new vocals and alternate lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFzYrALS_UI, “1000 Mirrors” recorded with Sinéad O’Connor and Radiohead’s guitarist Ed O’Brien: https://youtu.be/nrNHddTZr8o, plus “Comin’ Over Here” with Stewart Lee – the track that went to No.1* in the UK charts on the day the UK left the E.U. and further collaborations with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Primal Scream and Chuck D.

To pre-order, pre stream “94-Now: Collaborations” please go to: https://xray.lnk.to/ADF94-NowCollaborations

Asian Dub Foundation are a genre unto themselves. Their unique combination of jungliest rhythms, dub bass lines and wild guitar overlaid by references to their South Asian roots via militant high-speed rap has established them as one of the best live bands in the world. The story began in the early 90’s when ADF formed from a music workshop in East London at the institution which is their spiritual home, Community Music. Their unique beginnings shaped both their sound and their educational aspirations, setting up their own organisation ADF Education (ADFED), plus instigating campaigns on behalf of those suffering miscarriages of justice.

Building a solid live reputation in the mid-90’s, they gained worldwide recognition sharing the stage with Rage Against The Machine, the Beastie Boys, Radiohead and Primal Scream. On record, they’ve collaborated with Radiohead, Sinead O’Connor, Iggy Pop, Adrian Sherwood, and Chuck D. In addition to their blistering live reputation ADF were one of the first bands to experiment with live film re-scores (“Cineconcerts”), beginning with their rapturously- received re-interpretation of the French classic La Haine back in 2001.

In 30 years, Asian Dub Foundation have racked up 1000’s of unforgettable shows, 9 studio albums alongside a social and educational activism that both created the group and sustains them today.

In celebration of this unique project Asian Dub Foundation will also be playing more than 60 European shows.