Artist: The Bug Title: Infected EP Label: Ninja Tune Genre: Dubstep / Grime Format: 2 x 12", Digital
Kevin Martin has come to us over the years under a variety of guises (King Midas Sound, Black Chow, Pressure, Curse Of The Golden Vampire, Ice, Techno Animal and God) but here Martin returns to Ninja Tune for a release under the dubstep alias which he first started releasing under around 1997. This one comes as a heavyweight double 12” release comprised of two new tracks featuring guest appearances from vocalist Hitomi in opener “Catch A Fire” and the legendary Roots Manuva in “Tune In”, plus relicks of influential classic “Skeng” from Autechre and funky tinged “Poison Dart” from Scratcha DVA.
Kicking off with original material, “Catch A Fire” featuring Kiki Hitomi, The Bug gets the EP off to a fine start with crackling noise, smashing kicks in the background of a dubbed out soundscape and delicate, bittersweet, reggae tinged lyrics laid over the top. Next up, “Tune In”, is a thudding, drawn out stomper with monotonous tones mirroring the sense that “time is running out” – words which add to the imposing sense of dread and echoed vocal passages.
The Autechre remix of “Skeng” (feat. Killa P & Flowdan) is a bleak, haunting interpretation with metallic thuds and muttering patois adding another layer of texture to the 2008 original, which garnered near universal praise when it was released and definitely bears a re-visit to bring it to a new audience in 2010. Finishing up with Rinse FM lynchpin, Scratcha DVA’s re-work of “Poison Dart” (feat. Warrior Queen), the Infected EP concludes on an upbeat tip, with tight beats rolling around shrill vocal work and funky rhythms to great effect. A quality release.
Autechre, veterans of the UK electronica scene, today released surprise news of a new album ‘Move Of Ten’ which arrives on July 12th through Warp Records.
‘Move Of Ten’ will hopefully see the Manchester based duo contuinue the rich vein of form demonstrated on the critically acclaimed ‘Oversteps’, which was released less than six months ago.
Arriving in some frankly lush packaging courtesy of long term collaborators The Designers Republic, this collection of new sonic booms from Autechre will cater for fans of all music formats with CD digipak, two vinyl EPs and digital download available.
One of the albums tracks, Y7, can be streamed via Autechre’s website now should you want a taste of what to expect.
Warp Records stalwarts Autechre return with their tenth, count ‘em tenth, album. Rob Brown and Sean Booth welcome the new decade with the complex and intriguing “Oversteps” – a melodic and strangely emotive album that emits far different sonic vibrations than the duo’s last few full-lengths.
There’s no conscious way one can fully understand the compositional mind of Autechre, you just put them on and know that patience will reward. But with this new album the duo’s vibe will immediately pull you in and have you convinced machines must feel love before opening track “R ess” is done. Their signature clings, clangs, and syncopated rhythms are in full effect here, and with repeated listens they become infectious, full of darkened corners strobed with light. Yet, one wouldn’t call this a beat heavy album at all, the tempo is more composed and subdued, which reveals a definite maturation of their sound and synthesis. All this to say for non-fans: this is Autechre’s most accessible album in over a decade, and for non-non fans: their most solid release since “LP5”.
Tracks “See on See’ and “O=0” are the most heartfelt electronic songs heard in quite some time. They hit hard and true, featuring brief moments of light amidst darker and more heady tracks like “Ilanders”, “Known(1)”, and the fantastic “Treale”. Strongly recommended for all fans of more challenging electronic music. There ain’t no 4/4 here… in some tracks it’s unsure if there’s even any time signature at all, but “Oversteps” is definitely one to check out.
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