Reggae/dub will forever be associated with Jamaica, but the emergence of Japan's six-piece Dry & Heavy in the late '90s has proven once and for all that this liberating musical form is truly universal. The group is a side project of reggae experimentalists Audio Active, and they take their moniker from the nicknames of their drummer Shigemoto Nanao (aka Dry) and bassist Takeshi Akimoto (aka Heavy). Although the band formed in 1991, it wasn't until 1997 that their self-titled debut saw the light of day. Further releases included 1999's One Punch and 2000's Full Contact, while 2001 saw a compilation of D&H remixes by reggae veteran King Jammy, entitled King Jammy Meets Dry & Heavy in the Jaws of the Tiger. ~ Greg Prato