Tracklist:

I Like Smoke

Night Time High Acid

Creation Dub

Harmonica Dub

Especial returns to Osaka’s acid master, Akio Nagase. Following his debut, Global Acid EP and follow-up African Acid EP covered a range of influences; here, he completes a trilogy of EPs, culminating in a homage to his love of dub reggae via a refined deep house ethic.

Having made reggae-influenced dance music under the Makedub alias for decades, here he takes it a step further, utilising a knack for catchy hooks and acid lines and live desk-dub mixing.

I Love Smoke, a chant, the stand-out, those classic vocals flowing in and out with a 3 AM (Eternal) bump. Riotously expounding the virtues of smoking ’Mari Jane’, the hypnotic stoner vibes are wrapped around Nagase’s meditative and dancefloor heartbeat.

Night Time High Acid swings, the low-end rumble and kick build before the TR-303 and harmonica lead interweave, samples and sirens encase in an ethnic, tribal slo-mo dub flow.

Things shift with the 4/4 bump of Creation Dub. A call to rise wrapped in the warmth of Dub House beats. Melody and dub flow, no need for 303. Vox are space echoed to the limit. Keys stab, horns call, slip side away.

To finish, Harmonica Dub is just that. Heavy mouth organ solo, the blues calling atop a dub-techno stepper beat. Rimshot, stabs, echo. All encompass that psychedelic flavour of Akio.