Planet B Planet B

Planet B is the brainchild of hardcore punk Justin Pearson (Dead Cross) and hip-hop producer Luke Henshaw. Unsurprisingly, the meld of Pearson's noise rock background and Henshaw's pointed beats produces a heady brew, with the Kool Keith-featuring opener "Crustfund" acting as the perfect primer for the record's pitiless energy. Big grimy beats and shouty rap immediately recall Brooklyn's Beastie Boys, but Planet B, while no doubt indulging in some mischievous fun, are a decidedly darker affair. The record is coated in a mucky wash punctuated by industrial-sounding sludgy beats that seethe beneath Pearson's caustic and determined delivery. Yet the compulsive, high-energy drive of tracks like "Join a Cult" and "Manure Rally" transcend the dirge and feature some of Henshaw's most imaginative electronic work. The acerbic nature of the music is bracingly matched by the politically charged lyrical content. The aforementioned "Manure Rally" takes a less-than-veiled pop at Trump, "The Tiny Han