Kevin Martin is a London-based English musician, record producer, and journalist. He has been active for over a decade, in the genres of dub, jazzcore, industrial hip-hop, and dubstep. His main projects include God, Techno Animal, Ice, Curse of the Golden Vampire, The Bug, and Pressure.[1] He has collaborated with such figures as John Zorn,[2] Justin Broadrick, Experimental Audio Research,[3] El-P, Blixa Bargeld, Alec Empire, Dälek, Vast Aire, Anti-Pop Consortium, DJ Vadim, Cutty Ranks, Flow Dan, Mark Stewart and Keith Levene.
Musical projects
God
God was a jazzcore group that was part of the grindcore and industrial metal scenes. Justin Broadrick, formerly of Napalm Death and later of Godflesh, eventually joined. This was the first of Martin's collaborations with Broadrick, Techno Animal and Ice being subsequent. John Zorn also worked with this group.[2]
Techno Animal
1991-Present
(with Justin Broadrick)
An industrial hip-hop group, which eventually collaborated with Dälek, Vast Aire, and Anti-Pop Consortium. John Jobaggy also participated in the group.
Ice
1993-1998
(with Justin Broadrick)
Ice included Martin on vocals, saxophone, synthesizer, and turntables; Justin Broadrick on guitar; David Cochrane on bass; and Lou Ciccotelli on drums. Their first album, Under The Skin, was somewhat similar to the industrial rock of Broadrick's Godflesh, but with a more experimentalist bent, notably via Martin's free jazz-influenced saxophone. By Bad Blood, their second album, the band had absorbed a great deal of hip hop influence, and nearly all the songs featured contributions from guests well-known in underground rap, including El-P. However, the experimentalism continued, with singer Blixa Bargeld of legendary industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten appearing as well, often alongside the rappers. According to critic Ned Raggett,[4] the experiments aren't always successful, but he credits the band for expanding their sound.
Curse of the Golden Vampire
(with Justin Broadrick)
Originally a collaboration between Techno Animal and Alec Empire in an industrial hip-hop vein. The second album, Mass Destruction, featured only Martin and Broadrick and moved into a more vicious breakcore and digital hardcore style with elements of grindcore, industrial hip-hop, and noise/power electronics.
The Bug
The Bug's music draws influence from dancehall, noise, grime, and hip hop. More subtle influences include dubstep and the dubtronica and broken techno of Basic Channel and Pole.
The Bug's first album, Tapping The Conversation, was released in 1997 on the seminal Wordsound label. The album was conceived as an alternative soundtrack to the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film The Conversation. In this incarnation The Bug consisted of Kevin Martin.
From 2001-2004 The Bug collaborated with UK reggae soundsystem veteran The Rootsman on a number of limited edition 7" singles, released on the Razor X label. These releases were characterised by their harsh, aggressive nature both musically and vocally (vocal artists including Jamaican MCs such as He-Man and Wayne Lonesome).
The Bug's second album, Pressure was released on Rephlex Records in 2003. It included a number of more ambient, dub-influenced tracks alongside the ragga-tinged onslaughts.
The Razor X singles were compiled on the Killing Sound album (along with newer material) which was released by Rephlex in 2006.
Bug projects have included collaborations with a number of singers and MCs including Cutty Ranks, Flow Dan, Warrior Queen and Ras B. In 2005 he collaborated with Mark Stewart and Keith Levene and has released records on Rephlex, Tigerbeat6 and Klien Records. The Bug produced some radio sessions, including a clash with Soundmurderer on John Peel and a 2006 Breezeblock session with 10 MCs.
In 2006, The Bug launched a monthly London-based reggae club night entitled BASH, in collaboration with dubstep producer Loefah. 2008 saw the release of London Zoo, the third full release from the project, to critical acclaim.
Pressure
A dubstep project, with releases on the Hyperdub label.
He also compiled the Macro Dub Infection (parts one and two), Isolationism and Jazz Satellites CDs for the Virgin Ambient series.
Influences
Kevin Martin has discussed his admiration for Jah Shaka, Adrian Sherwood, King Tubby, Lee Perry, Swans, and Public Enemy.[5]
Journalism
He has previously written for music magazines such as Muzik and Jockey Slut.
Discography
God
Albums (incomplete)
- Loco (1991/PDCD)
- Possession (1992)
- Consumed [live album] (1993)
- Anatomy Of Addiction (1994)
- Loco (1995)
- Appeal to Human Greed (1995)
Techno Animal
Albums
- Ghosts (1991)
- Re-Entry (1995)
- Babylon Seeker (1996)
- Radio Hades (1998)
- Techno Animal Versus Reality (1998)
- Symbiotics (1999, with Porter Ricks)
- The Brotherhood Of The Bomb (2001)
Singles & EPs
- Unmanned (1996)
- Demonoid (1997)
- Phobic (1997)
- Cyclops (1998)
- Dead Man's Curse (2001)
- We Can Build You (2001)
Ice
The Bug
Albums
Singles (incomplete)
- Low Rider - 12" Single (Fat Cat, 1999)
- Seismic - 12" Single (Morpheus, 2001)
- Beats, Bombs, Bass, Weapons - 7" Single (Klein, 2003)
- Buckle Up - 12" Single (Buckout, 2003)
- Gun Disease - 12" Single (Rephlex Records, 2003)
- Aktion Pak - 12" Single (Rephlex Records, 2004)
- Dem A Bomb We - 12" Single (Soul Jazz Records, 2005)
- Fire - 12" Single (Klein, 2005)
- Poison Dart - 12" Single (Ninja Tune, 2007)
- Jah War - 12" Single (Ninja Tune, 2007)
- Skeng - 12" Single (Hyperdub, 2007)
Curse of the Golden Vampire
References
- ^ London Zoo review, The Wire, July 2008, p. 44.
- ^ a b allmusic ((( Possession > Overview )))
- ^ Jason Ankeny, Experimental Audio Research bio, Allmusic. [1] Access date: September 14, 2008.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Interview with Kevin Martin, David, Dubstep.fr, June 27, 2007. [3] Access date: August 28, 2008.
Reviews
External links
