Audio Bullys – Ego War (Astralwerks)
Audio Bullys is a horrible cliché of a group name, and this UK duo’s music treads the same territory. Their Astralwerks debut, Ego War, is the sort of boring, unimaginative record that gives a music reviewer a wicked case of writer’s block.
Imagine a cross between the Streets and Basement Jaxx. Dumb it down a bit. Replace rampant creativity with an overwhelming desire to be famous. Then you’d have an idea of what to expect from Ego War. What’s in a name? Everything, in this case. Hang on to your egos guys, cause that’s all you got.
Ironically enough, the album’s closer and title track is pretty neat. A sort of techno battle track, “Ego War” features a sweet lo-fi synth sample and some nice production work. I listened to it a few times in a row, but I think that was as much out of distaste for the rest of the album as it was out of the track’s own strength. Another relative highlight is the hip-hop styled “100 Million,” which features asinine lyrics (check out this opener – “It was early, I woke up / Still had a joint so I puffed / Shouldn’t have, cause it got me stoned”), but a nice enough beat. “Way Too Long” is also built on a fun sample and good production, while “Real Life” is a more danceable number with a heavy techno beat but not much else. A facelift remix could easily land this cut in some trendy clubs on both sides of the ocean.
Essentially, the songs are all built on a style template rather than genuine songwriting inspiration. Sometimes that’s fine, but in this case, the goal seems to be popularity rather than listener enjoyment, and that’s not fine. I don’t like this album and don’t have much else to say about it. Hardcore fans of British house may enjoy it, as will some members of the popular audience who haven’t heard (or liked) the Streets, Dizzee Rascal, or Basement Jaxx. To me, it’s just another record that really didn’t need to be made.
hi, could you help me please i’ve been looking on the net for the words to the cd audio bullys ego war. and i was wondering if you could help me i’m not to bothered about most of the songs but i’ve been looking for the lyrics to ego war and can’t find it so please could you help
christina williams
Not sure, but I do know that in the song “Ego War,” they keep repeating “It’s a suburban ego war, urban/suburban ego war.” Crazy. Maybe you could go to their website, http://www.audiobulls.co.uk, and send an email to them.
whoops – of course, by that, i meant http://www.audiobullys.co.uk. but audio bulls would be cool too.
This comment is bullshit, you’re nothing but an asshole who doesn’t know anything about music. This album rocks, and “Face in a cloud” is an AWESOME song…When you don’t know anything about music, you shut the fuck up right?
AUDIO BULLYS ROCK!!!!!!
This review is naff.
Try this instead –
Amazing album, has its highs and lows, but show a real turning point for the overgound dance scene.
u fwack!!! u dont know nothing about electronic music…please send this guy home…
the streets and audio bullys , they rule yhe next generation of electronic music, u ll see!!!
to be honest it seems to me like the geezer who worte this wanky review should take a scond to evaluate his own shortcomings and perhaps try to evaluate wether or not it is indeed he who douse his ego with cold water a little as jumping on the band waggon of a rising group like the audio bullys only to critisise in order to drum up a minute level of contraversy just seems sad. This album is nothing short of brilliant, ive seen audio bullys live a few times and they’re darker than linford christies gums, soz linford, but on a real note putting this album down just serves as a shadow over where english house is going as a whole, as tracks such as face in a cloud and tyson shuffle are purely amazing and you only need listen to their inspirations album ‘back to mine’ to see why their music is blowing up so much at the moment, its a powerful testament to the gritty sub culture of london and any big suburbian town in England.
I say more power to the audio bullys and may they reign on!
Oh Dear! You really are hopeless bunch of fuckwits. I have seen the Audio Bullys live and they are absolutely terrible. There is no emotion to the ” singer’s” voice ,the songs are woeful and the crowd couldn’t wait until they left the stage. If you bought this album you need a labotomy.
WTF?!?
a reviewer that calls Ego war a mediocer album should actually be on the look out for a other job.
Before you know it, you are also gonna tell me that the Godfather is a shitty movie.
I love the audio bullys…can someone please tell me what song is sampled in “face in a cloud” its been driving me nuts for at least 7 months now…