Upsetters 14 Dub Black Board Jungle

First released in Jamaica in December 1972, Upsetters 14 Dub Black Board Jungle is widely regarded as one of the first full-length dub albums and a genuine reggae landmark. Produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry and mixed by King Tubby, it helped redefine the producer and engineer as artists in their own right.

Built from Upsetters rhythm tracks recorded between 1970 and 1972, the album strips reggae down to bass, drums and space. Vocals flicker in and out, drumbeats are isolated, and spring reverb and tape delay send sounds deep into the mix, with silence playing a vital role.

More than a collection of versions, this is the point where dub became a full long-playing art form. Perry’s psychedelic ideas and the Upsetters’ groove-driven playing opened the door for generations of reggae producers, while its studio techniques still echo through post-punk, hip-hop, electronic music and ambient sound design.