I just listened to Asian Dub Foundation’s ‘Rafi’s Revenge,’ for the first time in a good few years and was pleased to find it hasn’t dated. This is probably because there aren’t that many people around who are making this kind of music at the moment. Even though Asian music, from Bhangra to Bollywood, has broken further into the mainstream in the decade since this album was released, ADF still come across as mavericks.

Part of the appeal to me first time around was the way they managed to meld together seemingly unmixable genres such as rock, reggae, hip-hop and drum and bass without sounding contrived. There was a real sense that a sound like this could only be achieved in Britain, and this celebration of multiculturalism and freedom of expression said more about the UK in the nineties than any of their contemporaries on the Britpop scene. This underlying positivity is reflected in the lyrics, with their twin themes of racial unity (“Brothers and sisters of the soul unite”) and fighting the Powers That Be (“Again and again, until we have taken the power.”) In a post-9/11 world, some might call this a naïve record, but if anything, I’d say its message is even more relevant. Even ‘Free Satpal Ram’ packs a heavy punch, long after the song’s subject has been released from prison.

Asian Dub Foundation were always a great live act. I watched them play the main stage at Glastonbury, to a crowd containing many who’d probably never heard of them before, but judging by their reactions were instantly converted. Rafi’s Revenge has a distinctly live feel to it, opening with the words, “This one’s called Naxalite,” and featuring entertaining ad-libs such as the old-skool mantra – “Drums and bass! Jungle is massive!” - my own personal highlight.

My favourite ADF slogan was, “MTV: Empty Vision.” Not only is it a decent joke, it also sums up everything that’s wrong with the music scene today. You can say what you like about these guys, but you could never accuse them of style over content.

For anyone unfamiliar with Asian Dub Foundation, I’d recommend "Rafi’s Revenge," as an introduction to a great band, and a unique kind of music. There aren’t that many musicians out there who are genuinely treading new ground, but ADF were, and still are, one of those chosen few. They’re more rocking than your average rock band; they produce better hip-hop than most rappers, and make better dub records than most reggae artists. The fact that they manage to do these things all at the same time is a remarkable achievement. Actually, if you haven’t heard of them yet, where have you been for the last ten years?