Try and Imagine pure evil as a living force that feeds on life, death, murder and pain. This evil infiltrates a city, tainting the air, water and streets. As its power grows, so does fear, corruption, agony and hysteria. For all those unfortunate enough to live here, death is imminent. Let the Night Roar is the soundtrack to this story—down to the details of crime, punishment and the true face of evil—which is unmasked throughout this imaginatively dark and devastating debut LP from King Cannibal.

Let the Night Roar is hands down the hardest release from Ninja Tune Records to date. Trailing far behind are The Bug’s London Zoo and Amon Tobin’s 2004 release, Chaos Theory. LTNR is a seamless blend of dancehall, industrial, drum & bass and dubstep that continually builds with tension even when the beats slow down and drop out. The stage is set with an intro of eerie atmospheres and the words “You’ve got about one hour to think about what you’ve done to me.” Because of repeating sounds, themes and frequent movie samples—including the explosive speech by George C. Scott in Exorcist III—it’s hard to not think of this album as conceptual.

As cool as the hard beats and unrelenting bass lines are, the MCs steal the show. “Murder Us” features deep and dark vocals by Jahcoozi woven around train-like percussion, alarming synth stabs and gun shots. The layered rapid fire vocals by Face-A-Face on “Virgo,” are absolutely sick (this track is so dope). On the voodoo-like track, “Dirt,” legendary Ragga/Hip-Hop artist Daddy Freddy adds violence and fear with repetitive screams.

The intoxicating dubstep single, “So… Embrace the Minimum” is set close to the middle of the album to momentarily break the tension with warm bass effects and rhythms—but don’t let your guard down, it doesn’t last long. Other highlights include “Aragami Style” and “Colder Still,” which fuel the album with threatening beats, distorted bass, ghostly pads and unforgettable breaks. “Flower of Flesh and Blood” concludes the record with a battle between good and evil where the true face of the beast is revealed… 303-style acid bass! It’s heavy, dark and best heard from beginning to end. Definitely one of the best albums of the year.  ~ tom

Two unreleased tracks, “Downtime” and “Stone Tape Theory,” were recorded during the LTNR sessions but didn’t fit the feel of the record. This 2-track single will be released on November 16th. Check out myspace.com/kingcannibal for samples and tour dates. Let the Night Roar and a ton of other King Cannibal tracks and remixes are available now on iTunes.

MP3 1: King Cannibal – Virgo (Featuring Face-A-Face)
MP3 2: King Cannibal – Aragami Style
MP3 3: King Cannibal – So… Embrace The Minimum
MP3 4: King Cannibal – Flower Of Flesh And Blood
MP3 5: King Cannibal – Murder Us (Featuring Jahcoozi)

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After years of hearing snippets of Two Fingers’ tracks in live DJ sets and internet leaks, the debut self-titled album is finally here. This is undoubtedly one of the best collaborations of the year. Producers Amon Tobin and Joe “Doubleclick” Chapman have created a sonic tornado that rips through musical styles including hip-hop, grime, dancehall, dubstep, glitch and drum & bass. The result is a thrill ride through a futuristic urban landscape. It transcends genres and pushes the limits of hip-hop and electronica. The LP is scattered with elements of world percussion, twisted samples, heavily distorted bass riffs and enough chopped up beats to keep dubstep and drum & bass fans drooling. If Bladerunner had a hip-hop soundtrack, it would sound like this.

The MCs include UK rapper Sway, Philadelphia’s Ms. Jade and the dancehall artist Ce’Cile. Sway’s talents are unmatched as words effortlessly roll off his tongue at 120–145bpm. Ms. Jade’s cocky style is a perfect compliment to the rough bleacher beats on “Better Get That.”  On “Doing My Job,” she easily adapts to the slow sensual bass drops and ensures the track will be a club hit.

Overall, the MCs add a creative element to the album, but hip-hop fans will probably be disappointed with the disconnection between Sway’s lyrics and the music. The rhymes take a backseat to the glitchy beats and waves of alien soundscapes. It’s hard to sympathize with gangster life when we’re listening to music suited for a field trip into outer space.

We can expect to hear a lot more from Two Fingers in the future. They have released numerous unofficial remixes including tracks by Spank Rock, Missy Elliot, Kelis, Ciara, Busta Rhymes, J-88 and Kool Keith. In an interview with URB, Doubleclick said that Two Fingers was both a recording act and a production team. He promises “We’re going to make tracks for as many acts as we can.”

The LP and digital files are available throughout the UK/Europe from Big Dada Recordings. All formats of the LP will be available in the U.S. on April 14th via Paper Bag Records. To order CD, MP3 and vinyl bundles, visit the Ninjashop. Also available at Amazon. Support your local record shops if possible!

MP3: Two Fingers – Not Perfect (feat. Sway)

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