midnightminustwo does dubwise with this four tracker from Koro Inu. Originally a side project for label boss Phil Clodhoppa, who, with two other musical projects that have very distinctive sounds, needed an avenue for exploring his love of two things: dub and beats. Having always loved ska, reggae and dub, but awakened to the marriage with dance music as a whole by the bassline in FSOL's classic Papua New Guinea, SI Begg's early Cabbagehead nights, the then burgeoning free party scene and later Sub Dub and Iration Steppas Sound Systems in the West Indian Centre, Chapeltown, all of Phil's music has some rooting in dub and reggae. With the Black Dog Dubs series though, this isn't just one of many infuences, it's the core. The four tracks explore bass culture, while all sharing the same stripped back and lean dub ethic of enveloping bass, solid rhythms and cascading melodies. The ep kicks off with the dubwise house of Selassie Singing. Vocal snippets muse over a deep bassline, skipping delayed snares and a solid booming kick. With more than a nod to early Leftfield the melodies and atmosphere come from acidic synths and wide pads, creating real space to lose yourself over the quietly insistent beats and bass. A true mix of house and dub which pays real respect to both. In Departure Dub we lose the 4\u002F4 in favour of pure digital dub. Classic reggae stylings of delayed pads, off - beat key stabs and a wandering melodica line all skank their way around a solid beat and pounding bass. Directly inspired by sound system culture, hot days, city centre parks and dumplings, this isn't just heavy mashup dub, it's about moving your feet as well. Sidewinder drops us solidly back into 4\u002F4 beats and hypnotic bass. With a sharper ragga influence it's lean and snappy without being moody. The groove is locked down early with the techno laced synth and bassline shadowing each other over the driving kick and jump-up percussives. Pads weave through each other while sharp lead lines call and answer the building ragga tinged rhythms. Occasionally breaking into stilted broken beats to concentrate the groove, it all makes so much sense when that sub bass kicks in. Rounding things off we have The Lurker, which manages to combine dub, moodiness and psychedelia in a way that's hard to describe. Old School electro beats mix toy with dubstep patterns while supporting fluid basslines. Both of which underpin a slightly disconcerting discordance that flutters through ever present swooping delays, reverbs and general dub-ness. The track progresses, switching from dark to light and back again, all kept together by the winding bassline.