For Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, 2014 essentially begins in Manchester with the first date of their UK and European tour taking place at Academy 2 later this month.
Promoting last year’s Repent, Replenish, Repeat album the Essex hip-hop duo are set to tour what is arguably their heaviest work do date.
Following the release of The Logic of Chance in 2010, Repent, Replenish, Repeat holds heavier beats, darker subject matter and an overall aura of somebody slightly wounded by life. Scroobius Pip’s words sound bitter, angry and suffocated, as though something hugely distressing has occurred somewhere along the line.
Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip first came to prominence in late 2006 when XFM London’s John Kennedy played their demo of Thou Shalt Always Kill on his Xposure show within two hours of receiving it. In a matter of weeks the track had become Single of the Week on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio1 Evening Session and Single of The Week in the NME.
With an eclectic set of influences including Gil Scott-Heron, Joy Division, Kraftwerk, Devendra Banhart, The Beta Band and Mogwai, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip followed up Thou Shalt Always Kill with tracks The Beat That My Heart Skipped and A Letter From God To Man. The latter featuring a sample from Radiohead’s Planet Telex.
Their debut album Angels, released to high acclaim in May 2008, reached number 31 in the UK album charts while their second album The Logic of Chance followed two years later after which both members took a break in order to work on solo projects.
Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip reunited to work on Repent, Replenish, Repeat, which, upon its release, debuted at number 22 in the UK album charts, their highest chart position to date. Lead single from the album, You Will See Me, is undoubtedly one of the most powerful pieces of work they have released, while the accompanying video is, like much of their work, completely engaging and compelling.
Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip are playing at Academy 2, Manchester on Sunday January 19 2014.
Picture courtesy of Kmeron, with thanks.
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