Thirteen years since appearing in the British dub scene, Dub Pistols are onto their fourth album, continuing their quest to capture the musical essence of a good time. Taking trumpets, a steady beat and bouncing vocals, the group manage to cobble together an effortless collection of eclectic sounds, strained through an airtight production method and sprinkled with a smattering of guest collaborators. The first track, and first single from the record, ‘Back To Daylight’, springs along to set out the consistent manifesto for this new effort; summer sunshine fused with laid-back hip-hop that sends heads bopping. A couple of tracks evoke a darker imagery, such as the synth-powered ‘Everyday Stranger’, but the uneasy sense of foreboding hidden amongst the lyrics is shattered by an upbeat rhythm that runs throughout the album. This cool and calm feeling occasionally overpowers some issues that the band may have begun to delve into within the lyrical content, before horns and summer got in the way. Dub Pistols have always been a good time band however, and nothing is set to drastically change with ‘Rum & Coke’. Sunshine and a carnival-esque attitudes are shoved through the serene beat of almost every song, from the upbeat trumpet flares of ‘Revitalise’ to the closing track, ‘Song for Summer’. This fitting finale acts as a curtain call of pure chilled dub, summarizing the entirety of the piece with an appropriate title. ‘Rum & Coke’ is a record for summer, necessary for those warm, long, bright days and nights spent relaxing with a … well, a rum and coke, with a little ice and a squeezed slice of lime to help the horns go down smoother.

Related Reviews:

1. Back To Daylight – Dub Pistols
2. Dub Pistols – ‘Ganja’
3. Dub Pistols – ‘Ganja’
4. Back To Daylight – Dub Pistols
5. Dub Pistols feat. Lindy Layton & Rodney P– ‘I’m In Love’