The latest releases reviewed

POLAR BEAR

Polar Bear

Tin Angel

****

After two albums where they joined dots, blazed trails and took that jazz-not-jazz sound into places where it wasn't supposed to dwell, Polar Bear's third album has Sebastian Rochford and friends fine-tuning their sound with considerable aplomb. Take a listen to Tomlovesalicelovestom and you can hear an abundance of assurance. Throughout, all of Rochford's trademarks are on show - the subtle changes, the ability to shape-shift between genres and the smart, uncluttered textures - but they're given additional weight and cleft by the bang-on playing of saxophonists Mark Lockheart and Pete Wareham, electronics twiddler Leafcutter John and bassist Tom Herbert. Industry is another cracker bent in similar fashion, where the intensity of both arrangement and performance simply sparkles. Polar Bear play Dublin's Crawdaddy tonight.  www.myspace.com/sebastianrochford JIM CARROLL

Download tracks:Tomlovesalicelovestom, Industry

THE BUG

London Zoo

Ninja Tune

***

Kevin Martin is The Bug, a London producer and bass explorer who has recruited a slew of MCs and vocalists to add some extra clatter to his latest batch of dubby subs. Martin's past releases have been hugely diverse, showing off his nonchalant ability to plunder right across the sonic spectrum from dancehall and dubstep to experimental techno. Here, he creates a noisy, uncomfortable, restless urban soundtrack where everything is at full volume, including the righteous anger and fervour of his chosen wordsmiths. Tippa Irie unloads with both barrels on Angry like the angriest man ever to call Joe Duffy's Liveline, while Warrior Queen's ragga tones are smartly in tune with Martin's dense electronics on Insane and Poison Dart. What's most remarkable about London Zoo is how Martin works each track into a fierce sonic strop without ever losing control of either momentum or direction. www.myspace.com/thebuguk  JIM CARROLL

Download tracks:Angry, Insane