Ishu – Ishu EP (Foreign Dub / MGM)

Sydney-born hiphop / dub producer Ishu (real name Gary Dryza) has apparently constructed this debut self-titled EP on Foreign Dub as a documentation of his time spent living in Melbourne during 2006-08, before departing to commence his current world travels. The seven tracks collected together on this EP certainly manage to feature the input of many of that city’s inhabitants, with Pataphysics contributing horns to the Dragonfly-fronted ‘Forward’ while DJ Bacon & Affiks deliver the turntable cuts, and Agency Dub Collective frontman 30B taking the vocal spot on the closing ‘Daily Dubs Part 1&2.’ It’s the looming influence of dancehall that’s most evident on tracks such as the above and the Lotek and Gina Mitchell-fronted highlight ‘Troubleman’, which manages to toss in some fantastically spectral-sounding melodica tones and feathery guitars beneath Mitchell’s teasing back vocals and Wayne Lotek’s gruff, vaguely Roots Manuva-esque cadence. ‘What I Say’ meanwhile opts for a considerably different path, placing LTJ Bukem-esque junglist breakbeats and jazz-soul keys beneath Rae Pale’s airy vocals as plunging sub-bass pulses back and forth, before 30B’s trademark politically-edged lyrics take things out amidst the lazy ragga skank of ‘Daily Dubs.’ Well worth investigating – it’ll be interesting to see what sorts of influence Ishu’s ongoing travels have on his future music.