Hollie Cook - Rockaway Dub / Dub Me In Your Arms

Made for Record Store Day 2026, Hollie Cook’s fifth studio album 'Shy Girl' gets a newly cut dubwise reconstruction by the album’s producer Ben McKone. Crafted on an analogue mixing desk, Ben strips back the productions weaving in delays, echoes, and reverb to push Hollie’s trademark sound into a hypnotising, rhythm and bass-heavy, electronic realm. This double A side single sees Ben serve up new interpretations of the album tracks ‘Rockaway’ and ‘Take Me In Your Arms’. The former melds the floaty, feel-good lovers rock flavour of the original with a low-end leaning, one-drop groove. The latter creating a spatial, immersive dub interpretation of the OG.

Using the mixing desk like its own instrument, Ben improvised live with a variety of effects and dub delays to give the recordings that tangible human touch. Paring back ‘Rockaway’, he allows the funk-driven guitar, bouncing keys and crisp percussion space to breathe, with the weighty bassline carrying the groove forward. Tape echoes and delays reverberate into the distance as Hollie’s vocals weave in and out of focus.

For ‘Dub Me In Your Arms’, Ben nurtures the roots reggae and lovers rock foundation of the original, yet turns it into a timeless, atmospheric dub cut. Focussing on the grooving bassline, sparse percussive hits, and interweaving organ shuffles and guitar skanks, hi-pass filtering and spring reverb get a heavy workout throughout the mix. Each element works seamlessly together to lock you into a hypnotic trance. It’s a rhythm track loaded with soul, as Ben ripples Hollie’s vocals through the arrangement.

Inspired by reggae greats gone by but with a contemporary feeling to it all, this is dub done properly. Mastered from tape by Josh Hahn, the eye for detail and consideration for tradition across the whole of the production is clear to see. A double hit of sound system channelling, rhythm-focussed versions that gives a first taste of what’s to come with the full Shy Girl In Dub! release.

Feel free to share the official link: https://holliecook.bandcamp.com/album/shy-girl-in-dub