from today's Irish Times:



YOU'RE ONLY MASSIVE VS QUEEN KONG

Dot-Dash ****

Self-release

In the red corner, it's You're Only Massive, two lasses from Waterford who get their freak on with hip-hop and electro. In the blue corner, it's Queen Kong, Cork/Dublin musos with a grá for dark, tough sounds.

With such a line-up, the Dot-Dash collaboration might well have been a dog's dinner, but it all turns out rather smashing in the mix. What's remarkable is the sense of cohesion throughout. Instead of merely accentuating and amplifying each side's strengths, common currency is found in the smart melodies, top-drawer beats and relentless wash of strange, alluring sounds.

Both the collective's ambitious streak and a talent for hitting all the notes they're hearing in their heads are abundantly clear. From cheeky raps ( Do a Runner ) to perfectly realised sweeping grooves ( The World Is Yours ), Dot-Dash is light years ahead of what their peers are doing. www.myspace.com/youreonlymassive JIM CARROLL

Download tracks: Do a Runner, The World Is Yours



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