A quartet of 12" singles released on Italic between early 2001 and mid-2003 are conveniently compiled for
If Music Could Talk,
Stefan Schwander's first full-length as
A Rocket in Dub. Throughout the past several years,
Schwander has been extremely active under the name
Antonelli Electr.; while those productions haven't been averse to slow dubbiness, the
Rocket in Dub tracks are completely suffused in the bubbly warmth of that variety. This is measured, deliberately paced, kicked-back micro-house at its heady best. Peers like
Farben and
Mikkel Metal are just as indebted to dub reggae innovations of the '70s, but while those two producers make prominent use of elements that are glitchy and grainy,
Schwander ignores the abrasion in favor of globular shapes that have all the agility and unpredictability of a rubber ball. Like the best dub,
Schwander's tracks have the ability to play tricks on your perception through heavy use of echo. Just the same, a lot is done with a little; with the exception of the odd melodica and trumpet, the elements in the tracks consist of little more than a bassline and rippling chord structures. It's all incredibly easy to get lost in, subdued and vibrant in equal amounts. The only problem? The robot that pipes in and announces the title of each track before they commence could've been excised for this release. If robots could shut up....