Boys Outside was one of 2010’s very best albums. Steve Mason had finally faced his personal demons and was able, after years of hiding behind pseudonyms, to stand alone and deliver a solo album of touching sincerity, equal to any high-period Beta Band.
The understatement and space of its arrangements lends itself perfectly to a dub version. Working with UK reggae grandee Dennis ‘Blackbeard’ Bovell, it’s one of the first attempts at dubbing-up the “rock” genre for years – possibly the last being Mad Professor looking at Massive Attack’s Protection back in 1995. Bovell’s box of electronic tricks adds to the ethereal floating sound of the original, while the extra beats and echo add to its overall sadness.
With its fabulous horn interjections and ringing guitar, Lost And Dub truly locates the melancholy of Lost And Found; the fluid supple funk of Understand My Heart gets additional beats; Dub Position makes Stress Position frantic. In adding his reverb-laden studio trickery, it’s as if Bovell has delved deeper into Mason’s soul and created a perfect standalone piece, delightfully captured on full-length album as opposed to being squandered on bonus tracks or standalone streams. Its cumulative effect is deeply moving.
