There’s a big difference between Pathaan’s Supperclub Beauty and Asian Dub Foundation, but there’s no denying that over the years ASF’s influence has been just as global. And just to prove it, this new CD features guest appearances from international heavyweights Iggy Pop and Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hütz.

Formed in 1993, they’ve worn their East London punk credentials on there sleeve in equally measure with their Asian roots (geddit, Punk + Bhanghra = Punkara). This is their first release since last year’s The Best Of Asian Dub Foundation - Time Freeze 1995-2007 so it’s a turning point for ASF and new label Naive.

That said, there’s no let up with their in your face style, typified by the opening track ‘Target Practice’, the sing-a-long ‘Burning Fence’ and the 100mph ‘Superpower’. My current favourites are their take on dubstep (‘Bride Of Punkara’), the instrumental version of S.O.C.A (the alternative version is the one that features the charismatic Hütz) as it’s closest to Les Négresses Vertes and Rage Against The Machinesque ‘Altered Statesmen’.

There are more gentler Transglobal Underground moments like ‘Speed Of Light’ (the Malian Desert imagined from the London Tube perspective!) that is as close to Pathaan as they get; that said they are never that far away from a political statement; like ‘Living Under The Radar (Ghostplane)’ which comes at you like Strummer/Jones at their Clash peak.

And talking about the roots of Punk, there’s no getting away from it, Iggy Pop and The Stooges were with the MC5 and New York Dolls as the template sound. ‘No Fun’ came out on The Stooges’ 1969 album that languished in many a warehouse/cut-out bin until the Sex Pistols cover version of 1977 (on the b-side of ‘Pretty Vacant’, possibly their own pinnacle point). Apparently the said Mr. Pop and ASF were on the same festival bill at one stage and the veteran rocker proclaimed ASF as the best group he’d seen in 30 years. Putting Pop and ASF together on ‘No Fun’ is inspired; think of an underground Signature that’ll kick ass at a bangra wedding reception.

Past projects like ASF’s soundtrack of the films La Haine and the classic The Battle Of Algiers and Colonel Gaddaffi, the opera are shelved for the time being as Punkara gets them back to their own rockin’ roots. An autumn tour of Europe is planned with the London gig at Camden’s famous Electric Ballroom on 28th October. Advised to get tickets early for this one as ‘Sold Out’ signs are guaranteed.

P.S. Don’t forget Rocky Singh at Eclectic Development Vol. 2

Reviewed: Asian Dub Foundation - Punkara (Naive) Release date: 6th October 2008
Tracklisting
1. Target Practice
2. Burning Fence
3. Superpower
4. Speed Of Light
5. Ease up Caesar
6. Living Under The Radar
7. S.O.C.A
8. Altered Statesmen
9. Bride Of Punkara
10. Stop The Bleeding
11. No Fun (feat. Iggy Pop)
12. S.O.C.A (Feat. Eugene Hutz from Gogol Bordello)
13. Burning Fence (Live at Solidays 2008)
14. Flyover (Live at Solidays 2008)

Links
www.asiandubfoundation.com
www.myspace.com/asiandubfoundationuk
http://www.last.fm/music/Gogol+Bordello
http://www.sugarscape.com/112743/youtube-britains-got-talent-signature-does-michael-jackson
Electric Ballroom http://www.thecnj.co.uk