Pendulum: 'Granite'

Aussie drum 'n' bass merchants Pendulum are about as uncompromising as it gets. Their fierce mix of walloping basslines, scuzzy synths and screeching sound effects make The Prodigy sound like a bunch of wusses, should scar young children for life and have Louis Walsh running for the running hills. If you find Gallows' bloody punk rock a bit tame and have ever wished The Chemical Brothers recorded an album on PCP, then they're probably the group for you. If you haven't, then grab some pillows and cover your ears.

Admittedly 'Granite' isn't much different to their other monster dancefloor hit 'Slam', following the formula of having a brooding, seething intro before erupting into a volcanic splurge of beats, kicks and synth punches that claw at your eardrums. It's got the bonus of some over-layered vocals, but you probably won't notice that amongst the jousting computer riffs and reverberating squelches. The track's got more electronics than a whole series of Robot Wars and is trashier than a night down Chinawhites with the cast of Big Brother 8. Ace tune? Yes. For the faint-hearted and Snow Patrol fans? No.