Zion Train - Land Of The Blind (Universal Egg)

For 'Land Of The Blind' (the title is a reference to the old expression: "In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.") Neil Perch once again collaborated with Zion Train-stalwarts like Fitta Warri, Jazzmin Tutum and Dub Dadda, but with appearances from Kathika Rabbit, a singer from Manchester and German MC Longfingah, the album also features a few new faces. Tracks like 'Roots Man Play' featuring Dub Dadda or 'Permanent Pressure' featuring Fitta Warri, added to the track list as one continuous mix, we still recognized from last year's 'Money' EP, meant to serve as a teaser for this album. Just the once Perch hints at the past on 'Land Of The Blind', as in 'No ID' featuring Daman excerpts from Aswad's 'Warrior Charge' can clearly be heard. 'Words Of Wisdom', in which in addition to Gianni Denitto's sax a voice of unknown origin can be heard oracling, echoes the work of Lee 'Scratch' Perry somewhat. Solid up-tempo tracks with a UK steppers vibe like 'Dirty Dunza/Go For It' or the aforementioned 'Roots Man Play/Permanent Pressure' will certainly do well in the thriving dub scene, but we were most taken with instrumental tracks like 'Tranquility Through Humility' or 'The Great Flood/Gaia's Tears' (the opening and closing tracks on the album) in which Don Fe's flute plays a leading role.
 
For those who've missed Zion Train at Het Depot (26/03), there's another chance in Brugge, as Zion Train will play at the Cactus Muziekcentrum on April 3rd.