Dr. Israel

Don't call it a comeback!

Okay, it's a comeback. Back in '99, Dr. Israel was in the midst of his first west-coast tour in support of his new album Inna City Pressure. He was the toast of the music press, receiving great coverage in Rolling Stone, Vibe, LA Times & The Village Voice, among others. Inna City Pressure had sold over 10,000 copies and Doc was, as they say in the Biz, on his way. Unbeknownst to Doc, the label had closed its doors for good midway through the tour, leaving Doc 3000 miles away from his home in Brooklyn supporting an album that no longer had a label. They stopped returning my calls. Then all of a sudden their phones were shut off. We basically said, Alright, what's next says Doc.

Next for Doc was to go underground, where his dismay with the music business fueled his creativity. Doc quietly released two albums on indies and collaborated with all sorts of folk, from Sepultura to Skiz Fernando of Wordsound. He also opened a multi- studio complex in Williamsburg, Brooklyn which houses Doc's own studio, Revolution Sound, as well as the studios where TV On The Radio and the Yeah Yeah Yeahsrecord (not coincidentally, members of TV On The Radio appear in the music video for Tetze from Patterns). It was during this period that Doc began experimenting in his studio with two friends. One was a young vocalist with loads of raw talent and little professional experience whose dynamic vocals (think Sade playing w/ fire) deeply impressed Doc. She is Lady K, and Patterns of War is her first time on record! The other, an Israeli-born chanteuse named Chemda, world music fans may recognize as one of the vocalists (along with Sinead O' Connor & Poe) in Conjure One (Nettwerk). Chemda's confident wail also graced Dr. Israel's second record, back in '95.

The result of those collaborations is Dr. Israel Presents Dreadtone International - Patterns of War Doc's first album in over 3 years and his first proper album in even longer. It also marks the return of a huge talent to the world music genre. Anyone who's heard Doc's classic Inna City Pressure (reissued by ROIR in August) knows exactly what I mean. Patterns of War augments the rock bombast of that album with dark, worldly grooves that showcase not only Doc's thick baritone but the vocals of Dreadtone International members Lady K and Chemda. As with Inna City Pressure, Doc's soulful production, deep vocals, and global-urban consciousness allow Patterns of War to freely roam the earth while remaining grounded in Brooklyn's gritty streets. Think Massive Attack vs. Sade vs. Bob Marley. Heavy, heavy bass lines, thundering beats, beautiful melodies, pristinely produced vocals, and conscious lyrics paint an overall soundscape which is as powerful as it is unique.