Only now is King Tubby's musical foresight being recognized. Born Osborne Ruddock, this Jamaican producer single-handedly changed the face of reggae music with his innovative dub mixes. For those unfamiliar with the term, the music of dub focuses on the mesmerizing rhythms of reggae by mixing the bass and drums high. Vocal tracks are then surgically reattached to the tunes, acting more as percussive emphasis than the centerpiece -- producing an entirely different aural effect than the vocal-heavy original.

Whether you're an electronic, metal or hip-hop fan, you'll see how greatly King Tubby's influential mixes of bass and drums have impacted the music of the 90's. This two CD set does a superb job of documenting Tubby's dub creations, as original vocals tracks from such legends as Delroy Wilson and Calvin Stuart are immediately followed by Tubby's remixed, altered masterpieces. The reverberating vocals on Tubby's recreation of Wilson's "Stop Look What You're Doin'" echo from the stereo with haunting perfection. Badoo's "I Got Love" transforms into "I Got Dub" as the master DJ intently twists and turns the Channel One mixing board knobs into another reggae-dub metamorphosis. In almost perfect harmony, the 27 tunes covered on this two CD set document the amazing artists who graced Channel One throughout the 70's and 80's -- and the equally impressive, fantastic dub of Tubby. The King’s contribution to post-recording rearrangement could arguably be considered the introduction of the DJ producer as a distinct artist, just as many of the mixmasters of the 90's are viewed today as they grace the local airwaves.