Kingstep/Damn It

Benny Ill and Jay King hadn't released anything in half a decade before this raging early 2009 two-tracker, but no matter: both "Kingstep" and "Damn It" are full of great ideas, perfectly realized. The fearsome "Kingstep" sounds like a dub apocalypse, high-pitched laser noise cutting through shipwreck strings and women moaning while a Rasta chants, "Murder dem!" On the flip, "Damn It" is closer to classic dub with a heavy overlay of cartoon sound effects (gunshots, squad cars) and vintage Augustus Pablo-style melodica, swooning horns, imperturbably chunky rhythm guitar, and of course loads of percussion, all angling each other for sonic space, all winning.