Zion Train

by Jason Ankeny
Multimedia acid-dub collective Zion Train comprised vocalist Molara, DJ/bassist Neil Perch, trumpeter David Tench, melodica player Colin Cod and trombonist Chris. Formed in North London in 1990, its members initially came together as a dub sound system; their first single, the limited-edition roots 7 Power One (issued on their own Zion Records imprint), immediately sold out, while its follow-up Power Two was a major favorite at shaka dances throughout 1992. For their next effort, Zion Train teamed with Studio One vet Devon Russell to remake his cult classic Jah Holds the Key — the groups most successful record to date; it garnered airplay throughout Europe and led to the release of their debut LP, the mellow dub outing Passage to Indica.
Concurrent with a series of remixes including tracks from the Shamen, Chumbawamba, Afro Celt Sound System, Junior Reid and Loop Guru, Zion Train issued with their next single, the acid house-inspired Follow Like Wolves. The acclaimed Natural Wonders of the World in Dub was next, debuting in the Top 20 of the U.K. indie charts; A series of limited-edition EPs recorded in collaboration with Knights of the Occasional Table, Diatribe, Conscious and Trancemasters followed in 1994, and were later collected on the Siren LP. After signing with the China label in early 1995, Zion Train issued the single Get Ready, trailed a few months later by the full-length Homegrown Fantasy. After 1996s Grow Together, they returned the following summer with the two-disc hits collection Single Minded and Alive. Love Revolutionaries followed in mid-00.