by Chris Nickson
As the Mad Professor, who's really very sane, shows on this Japanese disc, there's not as much of a gap between ambient music and dub as you might think. Both create sound environments for the listener, and both are aural journeys of a sort. Well, the Mad Professor has sent plenty of people on trips with his dub, and now he offers a selection of those dubs that come closest to an ambient style (although, to be fair, they require an elastic definition of ambient). It's good to hear &Dub In D Minor& and the adventurous &Heart Of The Jungle& again, while others like &Sweet Sweet Victory& and &Mad Elaine& are, at best, rarities. The Mad Professor's idea of dub might not prove ideal for relaxation -- it's far too edgy for that, never settling, and demanding to be heard, rather than just experienced -- but he remains a shaman of the studio control board.