UK electronic producer Kevin Martin, aka The Bug, has packed his new LP Angels & Devils with all kinds of excellent collaborations, including hook-ups with Miss Red, Justin Broadrick (Godflesh/Jesu), Death Grips, Liz Harris (Grouper), and more, but when his work with Dylan Carlson of Earth didn’t quite fit in, the pair decided to release the tracks as a double “A” side single. “Boa” and “Cold” are due out November 28th via Ninja Tune, and they will be released as part of a Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive. On “Boa“, Martin’s alien ambiance adds an Area 51 vibe to Carlson’s ritualized desert zones, but when The Bug really drops his sonic hammer, delivering monstrous low end and punishing beats, the “vs” part of the duo’s moniker becomes apparent. Like conjoined, fraternal twins fighting for life in utero, Carlson’s flaming arabesques of guitar threaten to vanish beneath Martin’s thunderous bass and mechanical drum clatter, until they disappear for a stretch, before redoubling their vaunting sonics. While it might be that Earth’s earlier, more minimalist and drone-centric work is better suited for such collaborations, as evidenced by Legacy of Dissolution (Southern Lord Records), where electronic leaning artists like Autechre, Russell Haswell, Justin Broadrick, etc. remixed early gems from the band’s more doom-leaning catalog with great success, the work here is interesting, even if it only offers a dead end. The Bug is currently touring North America, so here are those dates…
10/28: Denver, CO @ Cervantes ^
10/29: St. Louis, MO @ 2720 Cherokee ^
10/30: Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel ^
10/31: Houston, TX @ Gritsy ^
11/01: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent ^#
11/03: Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex ^#
11/05: Montreal @ Underworld Cabaret *
11/06: Toronto, ON @ Coda *
11/07: Calgary, AB @ Ten Nightclub *
11/09: Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl *
11/13: Seattle, WA @ Nectars ^
11/14: Portland, OR @ Rotture ^
11/15: Chicago, IL @ Evil Olive ^
* w/ Flowdan ^ w/ Manga # w/ Wolf Eyes
