Song of the Day: The Bug – Poison Dart (feat. Warrior Queen)

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Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s featured selection is “Poison Dart” by The Bug (and featuring Warrior Queen) from the 2008 album London Zoo on Ninja Tune.

London-based DJ/musician/producer/journalist Kevin Martin may have his hands in many jars, but none are as filthy and dark as his work as The Bug. Combining Britain grime with methodical European dance beats, Martin has revolutionized the club scene with songs exposing the sinister sounds of dub. His previous works as God, Ice, and Techno Animal have hinted at Martin’s panache for combining dancehall rhythms with bleaker influences, but it wasn’t until his debut as The Bug that his industrial past caught up with his dub present. With his latest album, London Zoo, Martin continues to tread down the darker path, exploring heavy beats and dirty rhymes. Featuring vocals from his regular collaborator Warrior Queen, “Poison Dart” is a track submerged in the molasses, with beats lost in the endless echo of an empty warehouse. The end result is trance music for zombies buzzing on bad doses of ecstasy — just the right amount of buzz and buzz killer packed into one deliberate track, capturing both the sexual and the primal. Currently, The Bug is on a small world tour before hitting the North American West Coast as the opening act for Nine Inch Nails. You can follow the action on the band’s MySpace page.

This weekend in Seattle, The Bug closes out the Decibel Festival on Sunday night at Neumos, performing with Flying Lotus, Supermayer, Fax, and Scott K James. Joining him is Warrior Queen, so do not miss this show!