"The embryo of Darkwood Dub was formed in Belgrade way back in 1988. The band began experimenting with mixing reggae grooves, distorted guitars and prophetic yet emotional lyrics, their stage set from early years even included a freaked-out version of Strawberry Fields Forever. By the time of release of their debut album. Paramparcad (1994), D.Dub were by far the most popular underground band in Belgrade,
playing packed gigs to a fanatic fan-base of up to 1000 people, despite
minimum airplay on Belgrade radio stations and almost deliberately kept
low-profile in media.Darkwood Dub's second release U nedogled (Radio
B92, 1996) saw further development of band's capacity for combining
diverse musical structures into a powerful blend, and was almost
unanimously voted the best album of 1996 by Yugoslav music press.
Notorious for rarely playing outside their hometown (due to technical
demands, more ambitious and unusual for local standards), the band even
embarked on a mini-tour of Serbia and received ecstatic response from
local audiences. In 1997 the group was approached to provide music for
Trainspotting, a theatre production of Belgrade's BITEF Teatar. If the
music of Primal Scream and Underworld was an ideal soundtrack for the
famed British film, Darkwood Dub were the only appropriate choice for
Belgrade version of Irvine Welsh's play. Music for Trainspotting
featured several tracks which had already been standards in their live
sets in late ‘96/early ‘97. DD's new ventures included further
explorations of rhythmical patterns and sound textures, as well as
remixes by several young Belgrade producers.
The group’s next, ‘proper’ album has been eagerly expected throughout
1998, then delayed by NATO’s air strikes, Kosovo war and government
takeover of Radio B92 – Darkwood Dub’s discographic home - in the
spring of 1999, to be finally released in September 1999 to undivided
praise of both fans and media. Indeed, on their fourth album, the band
added a new dimension to their creative world. It’s a stimulating mix
of dance music influences and alternative rock with the occasional
touch of dub and afro. The milestone album of 1999, Elektropionir
(named after once popular science toy-kit) is the vehicle that has
thrust Belgrade's alternative favourites into the mainstream.
The expectations were very high, both from the theorists and critics
from one side, and the public and the fans from another, concerning
their latest, recently released project, album "Life Begins At 30".
Being voted as the best YU album of 2002, and reaching sales figures
more than expected, a "Life Begins At 30" tour was the most sucessfull
ever, presenting Darkwood Dub live at Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia,
Macedonia, Poland, Austria, as well as in more than 30 cities around
Yugoslavia.
The web site of the band had more than 22 000 visitors in 200 days. The
line between "alternative" and widely acclaimed music is getting very
thin...Need we say more?"
Toma Grujic, B92.
www.darkwooddub.com
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