After a lengthy absence, the mighty HandpickedDUB returns wth a wicked brew ready for the upcoming summer party season. Taking us from peppy numbers all the way to the deep dark and minimal, we hear tunes from U-Roy, Scientist, King Tubby + Aggrovators, Upsetters, Jacob Miller vs King Tubby, Scientist, and Neville Brown. Pass it on as I would say...

Arranged by guest selector Brian Mershon, this month we engage the more modern sound of dub and dub influence. This one is a sick sick welt inducer...absolutely mashing up the place inna post millenium stylee. High quality!

c u t s :

1. Desmond Williams – Comeback
2. Theivery Corporation – Black Uhuru (Boof n Baff n Biff)
3. Dub Chairman – Goodluck
4. Nightmares On Wax – Flip Ya Lid
5. St. Germain - La Goutte Dour
6. Bill Laswell – Alsema Dub
7. Up, Bustle, & Out - Raindbow Town
8. Richard Dorfmeister - International Observer London
9. Keiser –Veltin - Dubolition

Special guest session from South Carolina controllers Eric "the ladies love" E and James G, all vinyl, one take. The fare runs the gamut...from catchy early pre-dub sounds to the deep and dark, with the trademark SC crew ear for selection guiding the way. Scientist, Desmond Dekker, Noel Ellis, Augustus Pablo, Kind Tubby and Glen Brown are all represented. Fun early summer jams! L i s t e n h a r d , s e e n?

Back to basics for this edition, after skipping the February show for some much needed rest and relaxation, Selector23 returns...this time with an all vinyl approach. Strictly deep dark fare from Tubbys, Scientist, Dual Tone and more. Maximum minimalism...

Special Edition Handpicked as we welcome our first ever guest selector, Eric Esposito of Greenville SC. Eric brought the goodness this month running all vinyl with the exception of one track, since upgrades to handpicked central now allow recording directly from the turntables. Many classic tunes in this session, including cuts from Desmond Dekker, Baja Jed, Don Drummond, The Mighty Two, BigSound Dub Mafia + Fluxy, and many more. As is par for the course these days at Handpicked, the set spans into other areas besides DUB, such as more rootsy and rock steady fare. Enjoy the first of many sets from Eric "The Ladies Love" Esposito.

December kicks off with some ska sounds from vintage Bob + the Wailers and Skatalites, merging into vocal heavy action by way of Jah Bizz, Jim Brown and Freddy McGregor, finally hitting some deeper darker fare via Coxsone Dodd, Geegory Isaacs and of course the mighty Scientist, plus many more heavy hitters sprinkled throughout the program. Forget the winter weather...its Handpicked time!

Just the way we like it...rootsy chill fare at the front and back, and the more modern fare all through the middle. A crafty re-work of a Bob Dylan tune is in there, plus Horace Andy re-do of Bill Withers classic "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone". Drum and bass artists Alpha and Omega appear also applying thier uptempo skills in downtempo form.

This months theme is no theme...just a collection of wicked tracks to ease you into the fall season. Big classics from Willie Williams (a tune which was later covered by The Clash), Horace Andy, King Tubby and the Roots Radics Band. Hidden gems from Ernest Ranglin, Jah Thomas meets Tubby, the Aggrovators, Lloyds All Stars and the Upsetters. Solid tunes hard and true, ranging all the way from happy vibes to a more serious conscious message, touching on just a bit of darkness in places.

This month we careen into the more modern side of the dubbed up sound, with tracks focusing on scale and modern studio trickery as opposed to the historical tone of the episodes thus far. There are tunes on this one from Grey Area, Bandalu and several of Bill Laswells variously named projects, including a remix built from the original master tapes of Bob Marley. Of course, a look at 90's and forward dub wouldn't be complete without the soundsystem called The Orb. Ambient dub isn't quite the right word for this session, but the use of length in track composition allows the term to somewhat fit, since the percussionless breakdowns are almost songs unto themselves.