The Bug - London Zoo

Rating:

* * * *

Verdict:

The bugs in the bass bins sound mighty good

Kevin Martin (aka the Bug) has been round for years, lurking on the periphery of extreme music and conjuring up sonic explorations with brain-rattling bass in acts like Techno-Animal, God, and Ice, among many other projects. These days, with the growth of dub step as a genre, Martin has found an outlet for his music where more people are likely to hear it. And about time, too - not that his brand of dub step, which also incorporates dancehall, hip-hop and at times cacophonous amounts of noise, is any less challenging than his previous work.

One of the best, and probably best known, tracks here is

Poison Dart

, a clattery and eerie statement featuring the righteous and riddim-filled vocals of British MC Warrior Queen.

Martin uses an assortment of MCs - from the frantic style of reggae supremo Tippa Irie, who big-ups the Bug on opener Angry, to the belligerent drawl of Spaceape on

F***az

- to prophesise, tell their tales of modern city life, and entertain over the top of his finely crafted sonic soundscapes and tense atmospherics.

On lone instrumental

Freak Freak

he reverts back to the smouldering and sinister days of Techno-Animal, one of the acts he was part of with Justin Broadrick of Jesu and Godflesh fame.

London Zoo

is another nice and nasty album from the ever-evolving dub step realm.

Scott Kara