Awash in jazz, P-funk, Afrobeat and bass-heavy dub influences, Joe Armon-Jones has levelled up with his second album, Turn To Clear View.
The Ezra Collective member turned in an amazing piece of work with his debut LP Starting Today in 2018, and together with co-producer Maxwell Owin and borrowed Casio keys from Wu Lu, he called upon a host of collaborators to record the new one over two days, including regular bandmates Oscar Jerome, Moses Boyd and Nubya Garcia.
Other guests include the inimitable Georgia Anne Muldrow, rapper Jehst, Obongjayar and Asheber.
His thirst for exploring new sonic landscapes steeped in the history of what’s gone before is clear, so Bonafide challenged him to pick from the cream of his dub influences: enter the world of one of Joe’s heroes, dub pioneer King Tubby, below. 
Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby’s – Heavy Duty Dub
This is a version of one of my favourite songs ever, Loran’s Dance by Harry Mudie (as Mudie’s All Stars, covering an Idris Muhammad tune). Tubby makes it even more special. The sound of the Rhodes in this is so beautiful, like nothing you’ve ever heard.
Barry Brown / King Tubby – Politician / Killa Dub
Just as relevant now as it was when it was written. Politicians love to tell lies. Dub never lies.
Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby’s – Roman Dub
One of the best snare sounds in the world. I honestly don’t know how this is possible, to give a snare that much bounce.
Jimmy Riley – Gunman Of JA (King Tubby’s Dubplate Mix)
If you play the original of this tune and then the Tubby’s dubplate special right next to each other, you can hear instantly what King Tubby does to a track – bass hits deeper, drums cut through a little bit more, dance floor ready.
Yabby You and King Tubby – Tubby’s Vengeance
Wicked vocals from Yabby You, but the dubbing from Tubby is what makes it. Mad minimal styles on the horn cuts.
Yabby You – Chant Down Babylon Kingdom
Bass playing on this tune is crazy, when they go to the B section he be showing off. Beautifully written and produced tune.
King Tubby – A Rougher Version
Nobody can kill the king. This tune starts so mad – the first thing you hear as a beat sounds like some 80s pop riff, then the roots style comes in.
Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
This is a classic song, and one of the first reggae tunes I ever played on thanks to Gary Crosby. Gets played a lot by jazz musicians for some reason. Everybody knows the A section, nobody knows the B.
Tommy McCook – The Dub Station
This sounds like some wicked film soundtrack to me, like a Roots western. Also it’s mad rare to find a dub tune where the intro is as extended and out there as this. Tubby creates some kind of mad misty effect at the start which gets cleared away by the horns when they drop.
Tommy McCook – Lamb’s Bread Herb
This song tricks you into thinking it’s gonna be a one drop , slow mover, then when the beat kicks in it’s actually one of the fastest dub tunes from this period that I’ve ever heard. That flute melody is killer and floats above the drums in a mad way. One of my favourite Tubby’s joints.
Turn To Clear View is out now on Brownswood Recordings.
