7 Tales of Israel

Album Review

When this album was released in 1996, the Brooklyn-based Dr. Israel was still refining his unique blend of jungle, reggae, and dub. The seven tracks on 7 Tales of Israel all contain elements that he would later combine in more satisfying ways, but which he had yet to synthesize completely. That said, there are lots of fine moments here: "Adam and Eve" fuses a trip-hop groove to a Rasta-inflected Old Testament message with nice results, while "Deborah" is a very attractive example of chilled-out dubwise jungle. "The Tribulation of Job" is sung in Hebrew by Chembda Khalili with a strange and slightly eerie percussion accompaniment. The album's most satisfying track is "Solomon and Sheba," a reggae-jungle fusion that points to the more mature albums Dr. Israel would later make for the Mutant Sound System label. This is highly recommended to fans, but those looking for the best introduction to Dr. Israel's unique brand of modern roots reggae might want to start with his more recent work.