DJ Scud

As his name and the title of this album imply, this is not easy listening. Over nine tracks, DJ Scud unleashes some very hard bangers. Most are fast and frenetic drum & bass, somewhat in the style of Squarepusher or Aphex Twin, but with a more industrial feel. Distortion and repetitive banging on a single idea happen freely on beats, melodies and samples. Snare drums roll so fast they sometimes sound like machine guns, and tracks like "Kill Or Be Killed” and "Jungle Warrior” live up to their names. A few of the tracks, like "Deliver Me” and "New World,” proceed at a slower pace, before the speed doubles into hardcore territory. None of the songs have Squarepusher’s complexity or Aphex Twin’s melodies. But if you like your music punchy and hard, this is well worth looking into. As harsh and militaristic as some of these tracks can sound, Ambush! is a strangely good home-listening experience. Your neighbours may not feel the same.