Rafi’s Revenge

In the early 1990s, Asian Dub Foundation burst onto what was then called the Asian Underground scene with an incredibly exciting sound, one that blended punk, jungle, dub, bhangra, hip hop, and reggae. The resulting sound was actually more of an emulsion than a fusion: the different stylistic elements rubbed and jostled against each other, creating musical and cultural tension that exploded in some of the most memorable sounds to come out of London in that decade. Rafi’s Revenge is the band’s masterpiece: there’s not a single weak track on this album, though “Buzzing,” “Free Stapal Ram,” and “Culture Move” are all particularly powerful.