Sir Larsie I, possibly Germany's finest dub producer, isn't anymore. Making music. For the moment, at least. But before he decided to take a break (well deserved after so many great releases during the last decade or so) from making music, he delivers us all his unreleased EPs as FLAC, MP3 320kbps or WAV downloads. How nice of him. :)

This is the complete list (including my star ratings):

Hail Up EP

A very fast electronical stepper with a running bassline and playful melodies. Vocal cuts feature Echo Ranks, Juakali and Miss Lynx. One dubwise version. Not so easy to get into one's ears.

Whip Dem EP

A quite hard to swallow one drop with high frequencies and wailing melody fragments. Nothing for the faint-hearted. Vocal cuts feature Steve Steppa (formerly known as Sayan!), AIM and Sir Larsie I himself. One dub version.

Can't Take No More EP

A rough stepper with insane instrumentation and wicked power. Two vocal cuts with Junior Kigwa and Miss Lynx, a melodica cut, one dubwise and one harderwise cut, the last one featuring a very nice keyboard melody. You know, the German heartcore techno dub style. I know you hate us Germans for making such kind of dub. Well, I love it!

Behold EP

An industrial sounding, dark one drop riddim with one Junior Kigwa vocal, a "sweeter" melodica cut, one groovy dubwise and one harderwise cut, not so hard this time though.

Praises

A virtual 7" with a very nice, smooth one drop riddim, coming with a strong bassline and -sound and a beautiful melodica cut as well as a flip-side dub cut. "The bassline is strong in this one", would the Emperor say, I'm sure.

Forward Ever EP

This riddim is already a bit older, I remember having played this one as a dubplate back in 2004. It has been re-worked though and also features different vocal cuts (Junior Kigwa and Ras Pyton; I wonder what happened to the love-song version from Brother Marcus?). It's possibly the most rootical tune of them all, if you're familiar with Sir Larsie I's works, you might recognise that the riddim is a bit older. I personally have heard this riddim too often, that's why I only give it 4 stars now although it would surely deserve 5 as well. Especially if you look at the fact that you not only get a melodica cut, a dubwise cut (with extra horns and nice guitar fragments) and a tough (heavy bassdrum sound fi sure!) harderwise (with a bit irritating intro though) but also an additional Jah Warrior remix, emphasising on the drum section. You will love this riddim!

Genocide

Another virtual 7" with the Genocide riddim in dubwise and harderwise. It's a very unusual dub, possibly influenced by some Dubstep ideas, though still clearly on the dub side of the moon. Very slow, very dark, very "round", if you know what I mean. Just also quite depressing in a way. You possibly need some e to feel it but I don't want to take one. Would also be a cool soundtrack for some psychological thriller or something.

Thanks and Praises EP

I raise the question: How rough can it get? Sir Larsie I would answer: very rough. And to prove it, he would put on this riddim and I would have to say: true. One vocal cut with Khalifa which I would rate as one of the best vocal contribution of them all on this list, one melodica cut and one dubwise. The riddim has drive and flair, the dub version has a massive intro, just like I love it. And then after a while, the riddim drops in and boom! Because there are only 3 tracks on this EP, I took off one star, in comparison to the other heavy steppers which get 5. You possibly might love this riddim nonetheless. Check for example the dub cut at 1:32 ff. Isn't that nice? It sure is!

Can't Quench Can't Cool EP

A very smooth one drop riddim, one of these little gems that float through the night and you might hear it somewhere far in the distance when walking outside just after sunset, like sheet lightning, you know. And you just have to stop and feel into the air: Where does this sound come from? Who made it? And why? What is it about? And you possibly get a slight touch of complete understanding then - or, as I call it: a shape of sagacity! The riddim pack itself comes with three vocal cuts (Eastern Star, Junior Kigwa ("Why Do I Have to Cry?") and Sir Larsie I himself with a great contribution here). A melodica and a dubwise cut round up the release. Check out the dub cut's introduction with the lonely saxophone and you will understand what I mean with all the above said. Makes you wanna do a moonlight flit and never return back to civilisation.

Blessed Man EP

OK, after the above blessing, you get back to reality very quick with a very hard and mechanical stepper riddim. I don't like it too much. It's too cold in a way. Vocal cuts by Junior Kigwa, Sir Larsie I himself and Steve Steppa. And as usual, there are also a melodica and a dub cut. The dub cut has some serious howling in it which is an interesting element in here.

Fight No More EP

This riddim is the one I like the least of 'em all. It's some kind of r'n'b-ish with strings attached. ;) Juakali and Sir Larsie I deliver vocal cuts and again, there is also one melodica and one dub cut. The Larsie vocal sounds optimised for the riddim but well, the other riddims are just better.

How Long EP

This riddim is crazy! And I love it for that. Euro-Dub at it's best. Insane instrumentation, couldn't be farer away from roots reggae. It throws invisible energy blocks at you. It's better than Red Bull or anything (well, that is not difficult actually as Red Bull is crap, but anyway). It puts a smile on my face every time I listen to it. I put it on my MP3 player before a football match to push myself. ;) You get a rough Fitta Wari vocal cut and a truly massive Steve Steppa part plus one awesome dub version with a lovely melody and check out 1:39 - 2:11. Doesn't this part sound neat (with short parts of both vocal cuts)?! Oh, and these keyboard sounds... man, I just love them.

Immigrant EP

This riddim is again a very slow one drop tune, concentrating on several little melody and harmony parts. I like the fact that it features three unknown (at least to me) vocalists: Eastern Star (excellent intro here, best version on this EP), Ras Igel (toasting style) and Sista Bethsabee (very deep voice, reminds me a bit of Sheya Mission). Also, melodica and dub cuts. OK, have to say that the riddim grows on me and while writing these few lines, I "had" to give one more star than planned. ;)

Jah Works EP

When I got this package, I wondered with what tune I should start. Randomly, I chose this EP and played the dub version. Immediately, I was totally blown away and couldn't believe my ears. What an incredible riddim. Even though I might choose another one as my favourite (if I would have to), I would claim that "Jah Works" is definitely the best tune of them all. So, if you only want to have one shot, go for this one! You get a heavy stepper, clearly heartcore meditative style. A very "interesting" vocal contribution comes from True Love, I wonder where he comes from. Richie Roots delivers most likely the most"reggeaesque" vocal of all the EPs and I-Boochie adds some Jamaican vocal style flavour. But still, it's the dub which is the killer here. Pure 100% Sir Larsie I madness!

Mr Warmonger EP

"Mr Warmonger" has big potential but it suffers from the fact that some other riddims are even better, so this one gets lost in between, in a way. It possibly has the best lineup of singers: Anthony John, Fitta Wari, Junior Kigwa, Steve Steppa and the man called Paul Fox! Surely this was no cheap release for Sir Larsie I. The riddim is one heavyweight piece of a stepper, rough and tough and it's such a pity that I just don't like the riddim as much as some of the others. So, "only" 4 stars from my side but the strong advice: Check this one out very carefully, especially if you like vocal cuts. Here, you will possibly be the most pleased. And if you like Paul Fox as much as I do, there is no way around his version.

Live On EP

Slowing down the pace again before someone gets a heart attack. "Live On" is another very unusual one drop dub which needs some time to grow on you. Most noticable ingredient is some kind of extra-terrestial pan flute and the fact that for some reason,the dub seems to get heavier, louder and rawer with every second although it doesn't, really. But it seems so. What a musical genius. I also have to think about the new Indiana Jones movie which deals with the question whether the old high cultures of the Aztechs/Inkas... were due to aliens who came down to Earth and were treated like Gods. Now, for some reason, I get the feeling that, if these aliens brought music with them, it surely would have sounded like this tune. In fact, I also wonder if Sir Larsie I got across some old alien-music-scripts and stole their music. I think he should admit it that he is in contact with some aliens who inspire him. Fitta Wari and Steve Steppa try to sing on this riddim but honestly, it's not possible because the aliens don't speak, so vocals don't fit. Go for the dub!

One Government EP

Haha! Concerning the German philosoph Helmuth Plessner, a person laughs or cries when losing control over his body functions due to something that happened. In this case, "One Government" makes me laugh because I cannot handle the fact that it is so good. I go so nuts that I cannot do anything else than laughing hysterically. ;) A total killer stepper, rough and tough, wicked like Cricket and sweet as weed. Fitta Wari again on the vocals, here fitting very well to the riddim and also Junir Kigwa again, a bit mixed under the riddim though but nonetheless, a nice contribution. Best one though is Weronika Nike's "Rainbow". Beautiful voice. Even though I like all the vocal cuts, they still cannot compete with the incredible, totally insane, massive, floating dub version. Just awesome!

Psalm 151

And to get down again, listen to "Psalm 151", another slowmotion riddim, again with a slight touch of Dubstep, as I would say. Chorals give a churchical feeling and so do the pad sounds (is it called pad?). Steve Steppa contributes the A-Side of this virtual 7" and he delivers some kind of sing-speech which fits nicely to this riddim. The dub adds some flute sounds as replacement for the vocals. I don't know if I should give 3 or 4 stars but I think I should give "only" 3 so that Sir Larsie I doesn't get too aloof. ;)

Real Battlefield EP

OMG! These three letters are all I can say when I listen to the "Real Battlefield Dub". No words can describe this tune. It's pure power! It's a thunderstorm! It's an unexpected overnight invasion by an unknown, unbeatable, strong force. It's the all seeing Eye which makes everything possible and is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It's the "now I've seen it all and can happily die". It's in me, in you and in every tiny-winy atom in this world and the whole universe. It's what binds every individuum together and connects the whole galaxy. The tune makes me jump higher, run faster, see clearer... it's the force! Where's my lightsaber, Obi-Lars?

Set Your Spirit Free EP

And finally, the very last EP in this package: the "Set Your Spirit Free" EP. A not-too-heavy stepper, again with a very industrial touch due to the instruments/synthies Sir Larsie I uses. And also again, the riddim needs some time to grow on you. Especially in the dub, the true strength is not heard at the beginning but comes somewhere in between where you suddenly find yourself nodding your head and getting "into" it. Worthy checking out are also the vocal contributions by no one less than Turbulence and Wayne McArthur, two very known names, of course. McArthur's voice sounds different than usual, I possibly wouldn't even have recognised him immediately. Turbulence is way too rough for my taste. Something I would rate as "funny" (but in a positive sense) is Jah Cocker's "Rise and Fall". It sounds like a satire, the reggae version of Joe Cocker, mixed with Zig & Zag, the MTV-alien-puppets of the mid 90s. I wonder who is this Jah Cocker. Wouldn't make me wonder if it is...

Wow. That were 20 reviews in one. Crazy! If I would have reviewed each alone, I would now have already nearly 700 reviews. I'm pretty exhausted now but it was worth it. I hope that you realised by now that you have to have (at least some of) these releases. Whether you only go for the dubs or also take (some of) the many vocal cuts, it's up to you. Just make sure you have these tunes in your collection. I command you! ;p Hu(g)h, I've spoken!

You can get all these releases in MP3 (320 kbps)), WAVE or FLAC format here.