A new and unexpected collaboration comes to light this Autumn, as The Alien Dub Orchestra prepare to release their debut album, The Alien Dub Orchestra Plays the Breadminster Songbook. The origins of the project trace back to 2022, when Elijah Minnelli contributed a pair of dub remixes for The Notwist. That exchange opened the door to further collaboration, and not long after, he was invited to open for them live and during an impromptu encore, members of the Munich scene joined Minnelli on stage to spontaneously reinterpret one of his tracks using woodwind, brass, and percussion. That performance marked the beginning of an ongoing collaboration that has evolved into a fully-fledged ensemble, including members of The Notwist and G.Rag y los hermanos Patchekos, performing and recording expanded versions of Minnelli’s singular body of work. Known for his solitary, lo-fi approach, often working alone with tape loops and effects, Minnelli reflects on the transformation:

“The idea of real, competent professionals playing something you’ve muddled together on a computer in a damp basement is quite overwhelming. Hearing them interpret and improve these melodies is a real joy and privilege.”

Mirroring dub tradition, the album’s second half features all-new dub versions of the Orchestra’s tracks, recorded live, one-take style, by Minnelli and fellow sonic collagist Raimund Wong. Rather than imitating classic dub templates, they dive headfirst into something more unpredictable and personal. As the press release says, it’s “a love letter to folk tradition, dub ideology and, most importantly, the joy of uninhibited collaboration.”

The Alien Dub Orchestra Plays the Breadminster Songbook arrives September 19th through Alien Transistor and ahead of it, they have shared the first single, ‘Vine and Fig Tree’. A gently unfolding piece, it reshapes one of Minnelli’s more introspective tunes into something playful and ceremonial. The single is offered with an accompanying video, filmed by Enid Valu, and you can stream it below.