WITH more than a nod and a wink to The Streets, Audio Bullys are the latest sounds from the suburbs in British music.

Embracing the driving bass lines of garage and house with the melody of Ska and Madness, Simon Franks and Tom Dinsdale bring their 'sound of the underground' to the surface. Ego War is derivative, name checking dozens of influences, but it has a fresh quality which will appeal to DJs and melody seekers alike. With the excellent We Don't Care (a top 20 hit) already behind them, it's easy to see why Audio Bullys' mini-sagas of street corners, London suburbia and laddish charm has appeal. It is garage without the cheese, and house without the hardcore. In short, it's a breathless aural attack that backs up the boasting with a record of hand-raising anthems - try Face In The Crowd or 100 Million Way for size. Normality has never sounded so good.

Updated: 11:05 Thursday, June 26, 2003