***ZamZam 67 sees the eagerly-awaited return of the man called VERSA (aka MICHAEL NICKLESS, aka MICHAEL VERSA).?! Over 10 years deep in the dub game, Versa came to prominence through a string of mesmerizing releases, notably a pair of singles on VIVEK’s System label.?! “Seed” opens with the sound of distant thunder, minimal pads, and a time-honored bass & kick combination, elemental steppers for the ages making no concessions to fashion or trend.?! Melodica drives through the storm, with delicately plucked guitar and FX bubbling to the surface in a reverb-soaked landscape.?! Much more than the sum of its parts, “Seed"’s power is in its restraint, its knowledge of its roots, and its confidence in the timeless quality of well-tuned instruments and careful dub mixing.?! “Planting” inches the tempo up yet feels much slower, lulling us into a hazy world of lurching half-time magic, with all the same instrumentation in dynamic play, yet creating wildly contrasting results..?!
7" $7.75
12/07/2018
***Joining the ZamZam ranks with # 43, VERSA (aka MICHAEL NICKLESS, aka MICHAEL VERSA) is well known to sound system music addicts from a string of wicked releases beginning in 2009, most recently a pair of highly sought after plates on the mighty System label.?! Versa’s productions are known for extremely powerful basslines, a deeply dubwise production sensibility and masterful sound design.?! “A Midsummer Night’s Dub” is a truly blissful 130 stepper, let by an unforgettable, filigreed melody threading Occident and Orient.?! Washed out yet insistent hi hats and claps locked with a deeply melodic bassline drive the riddim, augmented by beautifully delayed guitar licks and mixing prowess reminiscent of classic Dub Syndicate updated for the modern sound system dance.?! Versa is joined by frequent sparring partner ROWL on the B side, “Trimorphic,” an extraordinarily deep and emotive journey into 140 space.?!
7" $7.25
08/19/2016