Those fine purveyors of funk-fuelled electronics, Detroit Grand Pubahs are back with their fourth studio album this September. This time the crazed ringmaster, Paris The Black Fu resides overthe ‘Madd Circus’ with his equally deranged side-kick, Mr.O making sure that the animals are entertained and the kids are kept in check. Or should that be the other way round? Originally founded in Detroit back in 1998, the Pubahs have been on a constant voyage of recovery ever since. Bringing a touch of Funkadelic to what can be a rather stale techno scene, the Pubahs’ unique voice and image injects humour and drama into the one thing they take most seriously above all else, their music. For the Pubahs are no novelty act, there is method to the madness and bass in the badness. It..s all about personality (well split personalities) and a mission to put the fun(k) back into techno. Whilst the previous two Pubah’s albums ‘Galactic Ass Creatures From Uranus’ and ‘Nuttin Butt Funk’ could be seen as a technorump- obsessed double-bill, ‘Madd Circus’ sees the duo return to the booty, electro-pop and funk of their critically acclaimed debut ‘Funk All Y’all’ and the skizoid electro of Paris’s debut solo release ‘The Mad Circus EP’ back in ‘99 on Detroit indie label Throw. As Paris himself states, “this album is a journey into the booty electro and pop contempo - almost funk but not quite so.” What we have is a left turn for the Pubahs as they prepare to sell tickets and open the doors to the Madd Circus. Did someone say dead elephants, tigers and horses? No they‘re not dead just driven madd by the Ring Master FU and the freak inhabited Mr O. From the opening electro-pop of ‘Autotragik’ and recent single ‘NUmb Deaf and Dumb’ (see video on www.senmusictv.com) the Pubahs are back on top electro form. The electro booty of ‘Zombies Playing Dead’ fits well with the skittish, Drexciyan style funk of the closing ‘Clone Mobile’ whilst tracks such as ‘Mashed Potato’ are pure, unrefined funk. ‘Bre

Resident Advisor: “The pounding drums of Jeff Mills, Robert Hood's crunching analogue rhythms or Carl Craig's string symphonies: These are classic Detroit sounds that won't be heard on the Detroit Grand Pubahs' fourth album. It's not that there isn't something wholly Motor City about the latest outing from these curiosities. Yet, as with their debut LP, Funk All Y'All, they refuse to adhere to the stereotypes of their hometown's most prominent sounds, save for the experimentalism that first put the city on the electronic map. There's always been something of a darker, heavier side to Paris The Black Fu and Mr. O's oeuvre, with techno regularly at the fore. Here it's clear this hasn't waned so much as mutated. Not that there isn't plenty of creep-inside-your-head, four-to-the-floor action, complete with synth organs, acidic hooks and bouncing basslines. But the tunes and skits here offer more scope than your average outing from a camp with a largely 4/4 history. There's, of course, the innuendo, as the likes of "White Pigeon" and "No Hoes in My Studio" hilariously prove. At the same time, there's a successful nod toward dubstep. And rock is fused with drum & bass, though this is less accomplished. Elsewhere, few can deny the hip-rock of "Maybe I Do" is a little difficult to stomach. But the beautiful piano in "Jealous of a Dead Man" is as emotive as any powerful film score, while "Mashed Potatoes"—with its guitar licked, saxophone and sample-topped lounge groove—is unquestionably pleasing. Like comparable acts such as Greenskeepers, Detroit Grand Pubahs' music is fun, and the people responsible are serious about making it that way. So whether you're listening to the hilarious soul sleaze of "Breakfast in Bed," or the deep broken beat triumph "Mysterious Sights," each track sounds fully-formed, making it impossible to imagine much being added to—or removed. Madd Circus isn't perfect by any means, but you can't plant this many seeds and expect them all to flourish. What's impressive here is that, whatever your taste, you'd be hard-pressed to find another outfit capable not just of creating such variety in one fell swoop, but of achieving predominantly solid results in the process. ”