Audio Bullys

It’s great when a dance group grabs their debut album by the balls and just goes for it — think Basement Jaxx’s Remedy or Daft Punk’s Homework. Now don’t get too excited, Audio Bullys’ first full-length Ego War isn’t nearly as good as either of those classics. But it shares the same strutting confidence, and in this age of tentative beats, that’s more than welcome. West Londoners Simon Franks and Tom Dinsdale have already won over their home island thanks to the punk-house rave-up "We Don’t Care,” and this album is their attempt at stretching beyond their twelve-inch fan base. Their sound is essentially a less cerebral version of the Streets, mixed in with the bombast of Lo-Fidelity All Stars, UK garage’s up-yours attitude, plenty of hip-hop beats and some seriously dirty bass lines. About ten tracks in an organ riff anchors an uppity house cruncher while Simon speak-raps the hook "mayday mayday, over over/don’t worry the show ain’t over.” Sure, the lyrics may not yet be up to the boisterous productions but we don’t care ‘cause, well, the show isn’t over.