Big Dada

If there’s a place where roots reggae and old-school jungle intersect, then this may be it. Congo Natty’s new record has the heart-pounding tempos and warped-out snare rolls of jungle, but with an underlying message of Rastafarianism, revolution and political anger. (This is one of those rare cases where the record title conveys something about the music.) There are intriguing snippets of Burru drumming as well as hypnotic dub dropouts, and then, there are moments of grating ear-drilling effects and overdone backing vocals. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it all moves along pretty swiftly, with whiplash edits. On-U Sound and African Head Charge mastermind Adrian Sherwood had a hand in mixing this record, and its sounds can have a physiological effect; some of the jittery beats, siren noises and hyperactive echoes will make pulses race.