South London Boroughs vinyl

Hyperdub return in majestic fashion, clearly relishing the extended play possibilities of their new 12" format. The title cut here is an immense underground tune, mercury bass styles, quicksilver minimal rimshots - a tempo redolent of a possessed drive out of the city. Weak hearts may find it just a little too dark - we're just simply blown away by the exhilaration this music provides, a whole new dimension of dub. 'Southern Comfort' again has an almost liquid feel, but wields an enhanced and brutal bass presence, the hi-hats are choppier, messier and this lends a disorientating feel to the delayed pyrotechnics taking place somewhere above and inside your head. 'Broken home' is perhaps closest to the half-speed mesmeria of 'Sign of the Dub' from the first 10", a delightful lick of dancehall vocal, more for melodic purposes than anything else, and a heavily muted trumpet sounding for all the world like miles. The most other-worldly tune ushers in a percussive shaker with chasm deep breakdowns 'Nite Train', certainly the track for the ladies, the beat is tougher than you ever expect - providing a great counterpoint to the female vocal and echoing mayhem of effects. Hyperdub - every release is an event in its own right.

Barbarix