Dub Inc ADD

Review

Album Review: Dub Inc - Atlas

11/28/2025

by Munchy

With Atlas, Dub Inc chart a course that feels both assured and freshly drawn. Two decades in, they still lean into the mixture that shaped them – Reggae as a foundation, carried by multilingual, multicultural threads that run through their history – yet they let these elements shift, stretch and breathe in new ways. Built in their own studio in Saint-Étienne (France), a space they constructed during an involuntary pause from touring, the album carries the imprint of real hands, shared effort, and renewed focus.

The record opens with the steady stride of its title track, percussion wizardry, stratospheric electric guitar, before Décibels bursts in like a reminder of why the band thrives to playing live: gratitude, connection and the unmistakable rush of a room lifted by riddims. That sense of community folds into Drapeaux, where questions of identity, roots and mixed heritage echo not only in the lyrics and Bouchkour’s intense delivery but in the sound of the Algerian mandole played by longtime companion Alaoua Idir. The instrument adds a textured resonance that deepens the song’s reflection on belonging. 

Several times throughout Atlas, Dub Inc weave their Reggae foundation with influences shaped by their cultural backgrounds. On Comment Faire and Ma Bataille, Frédéric Peyron’s accordion adds once propulsion, once melancholy, offering tones that shift from lively to aching. More guests broaden the palette even further: Kabaka Pyramid brings a clear, motivating urgency to “head in the right direction” and “break the silence” for a revolution, while Marcus Gad’s warm, grounded delivery turns Mémoires into a contemplative meditation on memory and shared history, lifted by a brass section that rises steadily and turns the feel into an atmosphere of inner strength. As the album moves forward, energy and introspection trade places without friction. Tracks like Don’t Let Me Down and Motivé Comme Personne keep the momentum alive with rapidly spitted lyrics by vocalist Komlan or howling e-guitar, while Il Le Faut injects a final burst of brass-driven fire. The penultimate moment, Étoile Filante, pares everything back to piano, guitar, and voice, offering a moment of understated beauty before the curtain falls.

Closing with a Dub remix of the title track Atlas mixed by Guido Craveiro – who, for the fourth time now, shaped the album’s sonic identity as a whole by mixing and mastering it – the record offers a reflective echo of its opening, casting familiar melodies into spacious, shifting light with a modern, progressive tone.

Atlas is a living map drawn with courage, carried by hope and delivered with energy and dedication to the craft. What stands out most is the band’s balance: confidence in who they are, curiosity about where they can go, and a collective commitment to making music that remains human, tactile, and sincere. Atlas feels lived-in, open and confident – a powerful and honest snapshot of a group still evolving with intent.

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