Ninja Tune brings back The Bug

Legendary label Ninja Tune has been celebrating its 20th birthday all year long and they’re still not getting tired. On the contrary, there have been some ass-kicking new releases. Amongst them is this double 12″ vinyl (also a digital download) of Kevin Martin’s The Bug. As the promo says, “Infected blurs the lines between his various guises, lulling you into a false sense of security before striking out hard.”

On the video to ‘Catch A Fire’ you can see and hear King Midas Sound collaborator Hitomi on vocals.

Over at XLR8R you can also download a podcast (one of a series of Ninja Tune XX podcasts) with label founders Coldcut teaming up with old-school Ninja Tune acts DJ Food and DK. It’s a massive mix of 70-plus minutes and more than 40 tracks showcasing the many eras, sounds, and styles of the label’s history.

King Midas Sound again

It’s the Guardian talking to Kevin Martin aka The Bug, dub poet Roger Robinson and vocalist Hitomi. Together they are King Midas Sound and they have a wonderfull album out now on Hyperdub.

XLR8R interview with the Bug and Warrior Queen

XLR8R has an interview with Kevin Martin (aka the Bug) and Warrior Queen over on their site, including a few small but fascinating live snippets. It’s funny to hear how the onstage Warrior Queen is different from the offstage persona.
Watch the interview here.

If you would be wondering what the onstage Warrior Queen sounds like, here’s the video of the Bug’s “Aktion Pak”.

The Bug interview

Slang Tang brings a special interview podcast in which Stu Buchanan talks to Kevin Martin – better known under his moniker The Bug. The occasion is his new album ‘London Zoo’, released on Ninja Tune.

When you say Kevin Martin, you also say dark, heavy and often brutal beats. Martin has a long history of underground productions which he made with outfits like Godflesh, Techno Animal, ICE, King Midas Sound, Ladybug, etc. His career (if cult heroes can have a career) consists of dub, dancehall, noise, grime and hiphop. And nowadays -as the Bug- he adds a dubstep flavour to it. Some consider him to be one of the most influential producers of the moment.

Listen to the interview.

Extra! Kode9 has remixed the “London Zoo” album into a seventeen minutes long version. It’s not only a great promo for a great album, but it’s also a good way to get to know The Bug a little better. Download from The Fader Magazine.