[On-U Sound]

The pairing of Adrian Sherwood and Pinch makes for perfect sound symmetry. Sherwood is a veritable dub pioneer, founder of On-U Sound recordings and one of the most storied producers within the genre. His discography is a veritable treasure trove encompassing multiple projects with legendary reggae artists, and his skill behind the mixing desk is an essential line of UK sound-system culture. Pinch, meanwhile, has continued to innovate around the woozier and more staggered end of the dubstep diaspora, succinctly alternating between tempo-bending experimental movements and colder purist fare. Indeed, he’s also been no stranger to veteran dub collaboration, having organized the excellent 2010, multi-producer remix LP with Scientist, Scientist Launches Dubstep Into Outerspace. On this bruising 12″, the pair get down to business with two hallucinatory and suitably bowel-rupturing paeans to the green stuff.

First up is “Bring Me Weed,” a straight-ahead, dark, rootsy stepper incorporating lighter and inhalation samples alongside an army of odd noises expertly deployed at critical junctures. The bass is rather dangerous. Actually, it could suck the air out of the room, not that you’d expect anything less from these two. The interplay between the light and melodic vocal refrain and pitiless bass inflection is thrilling. The “Weed Psychosis” mix on the flip is a deadlier and moodier take, with the vocal stripped right back and the drums layered up to form a percussive barrage. This is old-school, rootsy dubstep with some killer live-desk production surprises — chest rattling lion music for the monster systems.