With the release of Angels & Devils, The Bug is no longer describable by mere genre distinctions. This is street music that derives its personality from grey landscapes and aggressive beats.
Just as The Bug’s previous effort, Angels & Devils is packed with guest vocals and dark tunes. Unlike London Zoo’s opener “Angry,” however, this album makes a point of utilizing vocals as a sort of mood setting. Case in point: the album opens with Grouper’s Liz Harris evoking the kind of somber atmospherics she is usually known for. This kind of evocative and unabashedly dark soundscape favors Harris’ esoteric vocal-work. Where “Angry” had a clear message in both content (“so many tings that make me angry!”) and form (Tippa Irie’s aggressively reggae influenced vocals), “Void” exemplifies a different approach for The Bug. It trades vocal aggression for a desolated urban mood. Second track, “Fall,” features Inga Copeland, formerly of duo Hype Williams, basically employing Harris’ tactic. Such dark lyrics as “let the war begin” are not enunciated as a battle cry, rather they point to a chronicle of battle that has already happened. Sadly, it seems, we have lost.
“Ascension” is the first straightforward The Bug track, a tune made for fighting, and no less aggressive that Martin’s London Zoo track, but decidedly more focused. Were the first two tracks without vocals, it would evoke a similar feeling to “Ascension.” This a coherent album that seems to have more thought put into it than previous releases. Miss Red enters the scene with “Mi Lost,” which the changes the balance of the album somewhat towards vocal oriented tracks. Fan favorite Gonjasufi provides vocals to “Save Me,” a tune that would not be out of place in Gonjasufi’s Warp output.
Six tracks in and it seems that the album is going maintain a low profile. This changes rather quickly with the appearance of Flow Dan, Manga, Death Grips (in one of their last songs) and Warrior Queen. Comprised of twelve tracks, we seem to have left the “Angels” side in order to taste the violence of the “Devils.” Such a change is a welcome one. Flow Dan provides three instant bangers (“The One,” “Fat Mac” and “Dirty”) that should give anyone who listened to London Zoo PTSD induced flashbacks from that record’s violent vocals. Album highlight “Function” is a showcase for Mangas’s vocals but also proof of the cohesive nature of the album, as it does not for a second suspend its immersive, urban mood.
Critical acclaim is no stranger to The Bug’s Kevin Martin. London Zoo, released by Ninja Tune after a couple of releases on Rephlex Records, was a rise to prominence for the experimental producer, receiving glowing reviews from the likes of Pitchfork. Martin’s music thrives on the combination of a variety of elements that range from dubstep to ragga, from grime to techno. The combination of styles, however, is always joined together by a distinct and aggressive personality. With the release of Angels & Devils, The Bug is no longer describable by mere genre distinctions. This is street music that derives its personality from grey landscapes and aggressive beats. Whether techno or grime, one thing is certain: the world painted by Martin may not be pretty, but it has moments of sublime, dark intensity that makes Angels & Devils a competitor for album of the year.
Angels & Devils is available on Ninja Tune.
[itunes id=”888302987″]
