Asian Dub Foundation

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• Genre: Beats & Breaks
• Hometown: London

About

Self-described as "MIDI warriors," the Asian Dub Foundation have come a long way from their roots as teachers and students in a music technology workshop for Asian children. However, unlike many initially socially strident groups who finally achieve global stardom, the ADF's political viewpoints have remained steadfast throughout. From the outset, their blend of punk, jungle and Bengali instrumentation proved more popular in France then their native London, but as word spread about their incendiary live performances, people began to take notice. Wishing to capitalize on this momentum, the ADF made the smart move of re-recording their France-only release R.A.F.I. to reflect this live energy, resulting in 1998's Rafi's Revenge, which proved to be their breakthrough album. Headlining tours followed, helped by regular championing from Primal Scream and a pivotal US support tour with the Beastie Boys. Line-ups have ebbed and flowed, but the political message has remained the same – for example "Fortress Europe" on 2003's Enemy of the Enemy clearly indicates their views on immigration. The inevitable best-of was released in 2007 (Timefreeze 1995-2007), but the ADF show no signs of slowing down. Expect another retrospective 10 years in the future.

- Nicholas Baker