“Pressure” By The Bug

“Pressure,” the latest single by The Bug, features collaborator Flowdan, and is the second single to be taken from The Bug’s forthcoming album “Fire”, out 27th August on Ninja Tune. The single is paired with a video directed by Denisha Anderson (Oscar Jerome / Wu-Lu).

Shot across one day in East and South London, the intense edit works perfectly to complement the track, where we get transported by Flowdan’s straight down the barrel performance intercut between two unknown characters running from camera in a slightly haunting narrative that matches the lyrics.

The video begins with an intro scene designed by Anderson to reflect the opening lyrics of ‘Pressure’—in which we see distorted images of Patel, Boris & crowds protesting—before cutting to Flowdan, who’s powerful performance is delivered against the backdrop of brutalist architecture, creating the feeling of being boxed-in within the harsh concrete setting.

“The claustrophobic energy was used to give space to those in estates, living upon one another and repeatedly ignored by those in power,” explains Anderson. “In choosing these locations, Flowdan becomes the voice of the people. Hence the reason for him taking over TV screens, because now is the time to listen “…Wait for the revolution but the revolution can’t start, We affi go bludclart start it..””

The Bug became the project in which Martin could fully explore his increased fascination and obsession with the MC cultures of Jamaican dancehall, grime and hip hop. Through 2003’s ‘Pressure’ and 2008’s ‘London Zoo’ (his debut for Ninja Tune) the Bug became the musical entity in which Martin’s own revolutionary ideas about sound could fully clash and mutate through collaboration with a welter of astonishing MCs, many of whom express their ongoing solidarity on ‘Fire’. The Bug has remixed Thom Yorke and Adrian Sherwood, worked with likes of Burial, Earth and Kode9 and been remixed by Autechre.

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