Album: Asian Dub Foundation

Tank, RINSE IT OUT / VIRGIN

The spectre of the Iraq war looms large over Asian Dub Foundation's follow-up to Enemy of the Enemy - not least on the title track, where calls to "Awaken, Mesopotamia!" punctuate the scudding beat and sleek Arabic orchestral samples. "The wheels of the tank keep turning round and round," they sing, "How many megatons will it take to make them turn around?" "Oil" carries the argument further, contrasting American cultural indifference and lust for fuel with Muslims' experience of racism. Elsewhere, "Round up", a mordant commentary on the Government's illegal Islamic dragnet, takes an apocalyptic turn with lines such as, "When you hear them marching drum, you know they're gonna blot out the sun", while "Take Back the Power" notes sourly that "Times them tough/ Justice rough/ A million on the streets just ain't enough". Apart from this latter ragga punk-funk barrage, the reggae number "Tomorrow Begins Today" and the guitar instrumental "Melody 7", most of the album features variations on two-step

The spectre of the Iraq war looms large over Asian Dub Foundation's follow-up to Enemy of the Enemy - not least on the title track, where calls to "Awaken, Mesopotamia!" punctuate the scudding beat and sleek Arabic orchestral samples. "The wheels of the tank keep turning round and round," they sing, "How many megatons will it take to make them turn around?" "Oil" carries the argument further, contrasting American cultural indifference and lust for fuel with Muslims' experience of racism. Elsewhere, "Round up", a mordant commentary on the Government's illegal Islamic dragnet, takes an apocalyptic turn with lines such as, "When you hear them marching drum, you know they're gonna blot out the sun", while "Take Back the Power" notes sourly that "Times them tough/ Justice rough/ A million on the streets just ain't enough". Apart from this latter ragga punk-funk barrage, the reggae number "Tomorrow Begins Today" and the guitar instrumental "Melody 7", most of the album features variations on two-step rhythms, with propulsive basslines, techno synth riffs and dhol drums combining in infectious world/ dance crossovers. The results move both feet and heart, boding well for the group's English National Opera's piece on the life of Colonel Gaddafi.