Listen: Benin City - "Bus" [Premiere]

03 June 2014, 10:45 | Written by Jamie Cunningham

(Tracks)

(Benin City)

Like standing in the middle of Picadilly Circus at rush hour, Benin City can come across as such a flurry of activity it can be a little hard to make sense of exactly what’s going on. Purveyors of what’s been called ‘Afro dub blues’, the capital-based trio are something of a colourful explosion of different styles.

This is demonstrated perfectly on the group’s new single, “Bus”. Singer Joshua Idehen sings in a style akin to Ghostpoet about the dreary existentialism that comes with public transport (a pain us Londoners know too well) over an aggressive onslaught of vibrant synths and drums that is part exotic and part chaotic.

Defiantly unique, “Bus” is an engaging listen and is much more enjoyable than the use of actual public transport.

“Bus” is taken from the band’s forthcoming EP Midnight Malarky, released on 23 June via OMD Recordings. The band also start a residency at The Social on the 9 June as part of the venue’s new music night, ‘Blackjack’.