In the dub scene, musicians and producers often swear by vintage analog gear and traditional techniques, but that particular "dogma" doesn't apply to Blanc du Blanc.
By Jah Rebel
Blanc du Blanc is a heteronym. On one hand, it’s a fictional masked persona (as pictured on the cover of ‘Before The Beginning’), described as: “A spectral being born of the star Melodious, traversing the cosmos aboard waves of sound, tuning into the echo-chimerical frequencies that connect all living things. He is a sonic alchemist and dub medium, channelling the ancient knowledge of sound fragrancy, the lost art of shaping frequencies into feeling.”.
On the other hand, it’s a fluid collective of New Jersey-based musicians led by mastermind and bandleader Chris Harford, with links to acts like Morphine (saxophonist Dana Colley), Bad Brains, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (keyboardist John ‘JG’ Goetchius), and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer/bandleader Joe Russo).
In 2021, Blanc du Blanc already collaborated with dub legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry on the ‘Wind Of Change’ EP. For ‘Before The Beginning’, a dub album the band describes as: “…an interstellar instrumental journey where Jamaican roots meet cosmic resonance”, they’ve now joined forces with Jamaican dub pioneer Hopeton Overton Brown, better known as Scientist.
The result is a stellar release that occasionally drifts into ambient territory, balancing heavy dub riddims with ethereal textures, making for a spacey yet grounded sonic trip that feels both futuristic and deeply rooted in tradition.
Scientist will be performing live with Sister Nancy at the Dub Forest stage of Reggae Geel on Saturday, August 2!
Founder alongside Jah Shakespear who transitioned to this role in late 2014. Previously worked as critic and reporter, balancing passions for music and Haile Selassie spirituality.
June 24, 2025