Israel Starr meets Dub Terminator ft. Gappy Ranks - No Response Fi Dat EP - NiceUp

Revisiting a tune from earlier this year, Dub Terminator takes his collaboration with Israel Starr and adds UK dancehall MC Gappy Ranks to the mix on this update to “No Response Fi Dat.”

On the opening re-edit, the driving force is the deep dub-hop bass-line – with appropriate echoes and subtle synths sneaking through – as this pair of verbal assassins ‘large up like sumo, load up the ammo’ in order to best address their inferior competitors. Israel Starr handles the chorus and outer verses, while Gappy Ranks makes the most of his brief appearance, boasting in baritone: ‘we no care who dem are, dem couldn’t go bar fi bar.’

While this is a lyrically aggressive track, a firm sense of equality emerges as Israel Starr warns if an ‘old-time friend have a bad intent’ then biblical justice ought to ensue. With a dubstep-influenced wobble pushing to the forefront, Dub Terminator lets the beat ride out nicely, allowing the NZ-stylee party vibes to continue until there’s simply “No Response Fi Dat.”

Then comes 12stepa’s remix, which is lighter and at times spacey, slowly easing into the verses. The drums draw the vocals in tight, thankfully avoiding any EDM-esque buildups to instead prioritize the reverb.

Dub Terminator’s “Trap Remix” extracts a few Israel Starr vocal samples before Gappy Ranks’ effects-laden line ‘people flash up their lighter’ comes to the forefront. Synths run wild, and here EDM does rear its head a bit both in sound and style.

The closing “Original Mix,” which first emerged eight months ago, is still quite solid and shows why this tune was worth approaching again. Although, if given the choice, there’s simply no reason not to include Gappy Ranks on the track!

Israel Starr & Dub Terminator feat. Gappy Ranks