Kode9 + The Space Ape - Backward

davidmanasseh

Review by Manasseh David

Alright, let’s dive into Backward by Kode9 + The Space Ape. Released in 2006 on Hyperdub, this album’s a gnarly little trip through bass-heavy vibes and experimental twists. It’s not your typical electronic record—this thing feels like it was cooked up in some glitchy, dystopian lab somewhere in the UK. If you’re into dubstep or just love music that messes with your head, this one’s worth a spin. First off, “9 Samurai” is an absolute banger. I remember it because, honestly, how do you forget something so relentless? The track slams you with these razor-sharp beats and this low-end growl that feels like it’s gonna swallow you whole. It’s got this raw energy, like it doesn’t care if you can keep up or not. You know those moments when a song makes you feel like you’re floating but also kinda scared? Yeah, that’s “9 Samurai.” The way it builds tension without ever fully letting go—it’s almost cruel, but in the best way possible. Then there’s the title track, “Backward.” This one stuck with me for its weirdness. It’s less about smashing you over the head and more about creeping around in the shadows. The beat feels…off, like it’s stumbling backward (get it?) while still somehow moving forward. There’s this eerie vibe that just sits with you long after the track ends. It’s unsettling, but in a way that makes you hit repeat just to figure out what the heck is going on. Looking back, Backward feels like a time capsule of where dubstep and bass music were heading at the time—a peek into the future that still sounds fresh today. It’s wild to think this came out in 2006, right when people were still figuring out what dubstep even was. Hyperdub really knew what they were doing, putting out stuff that didn’t follow any rules. Honestly, listening to this album feels like trying to solve a puzzle that keeps changing shape every time you touch it. And maybe that’s why I keep coming back to it—it doesn’t give you all the answers, but it leaves you asking the right questions. Plus, who else names a track “9 Samurai”? Legend move, no cap.

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: kode9-the-space-ape-backward.zip
  • MP3 size: 14.6 mb
  • FLAC size: 61.6 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Backward5:01
9 Samurai5:35

Video

Kode9 - 9 Samurai
Kode9 & The Spaceape: Backward (Hyperdub 2006)

Images

lataa albumi Kode9 + The Space Ape - Backward
descargar álbum Kode9 + The Space Ape - Backward

Catalog Numbers

HYP004

Labels

Hyperdub

Listen online

  • lytte på nettet
  • ouvir online
  • ascolta in linea
  • escuchar en línea
  • lyssna på nätet
  • kuunnella verkossa
  • online anhören
  • écouter en ligne
  • online luisteren

Formats

  • Vinyl
  • 33 ⅓ RPM
  • 10"

Companies

RoleCompany
Lacquer Cut AtTransition Mastering Studios
Pressed ByGZ Digital Media

Notes

  • Track durations and BPM are not provided on the record.
  • BPM:
  • A: 140
  • B: 140

Barcodes

  • Matrix / Runout (A Side Hand Written): HYP 004A TRANSITION
  • Matrix / Runout (A Side Stamped): 67205F1\A
  • Matrix / Runout (B Side Hand Written): HYP 004AA 2 TRANSITION
  • Matrix / Runout (B Side Stamped): 67205F2\A

About Kode9 + The Space Ape

Although born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, Kode9 is genetically a junglist. He started DJing in 1990 at the age of 16, playing a fusion of reggae, breaks, hip hop, jazz, funk and house. He was subsequently swept up by the emergence of the breakbeat hardcore, jungle and drumnbass scenes, and has been rinsin breaks, ragga chat and bubblin basslines ever since. DJing across the UK during the 90s, from Edinburgh, to Coventry, Kode9 migrated to London in 1997, suffering infection to darker strains of the emergent 2step garage scene. He now runs the label.

Real Name

    • Steve Goodman

Name Vars

  • Kode 09
  • Kode 9

Aliases

  • Steve Goodman

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? The album *Backward* by Kode9 + The Space Ape is a game-changer in electronic music. Released in 2006 on the UK label Hyperdub, it blends bass music, dubstep, and experimental sounds. Tracks like "9 Samurai" and "Backward" push boundaries, creating a dark, futuristic vibe. It’s wild how this album helped shape the sound of modern electronic music. Feels ahead of its time, even today.

Comments

kathiawrites
2025-03-14
Hola Karla !
alinnyseraphim
2025-03-13
Muy buena
najeeml
2025-03-13
The truth lies somewhere between a lie and fiction ?
fasalmosleemj3456
2025-03-13
One step forward two step back
One step forward two step back

Twist the line out of all recognition
Understand this unnu have to make a decision

Mashin' up the system
With a para-flexible hearing
Fling this blasting somet'ing
'Way from my audio addiction

The truth lies somewhere between a lie and a fiction
There's no use blaming the haste we chase after
Because all is fair an equal between servant and master

Strange how things seem to remain the same
When all the while we a try fi make change
Watch how the mutants them fight and struggle
Pushing up themselves to find space inna the middle
To be seen (seen) is what it all seems to mean
When big things a gwan a no surprise
How it bleeds you dry of the things you have inna your eye

Me is man who no wan' tell anybody what fi do
But there's a abstract black hole laughing after you
Creating biological patterns more mystical than Saturn
And if you mine look sharp you have fi ask
A wha' this thing a happen?


Filling up you head with all these quotes from the scripture
To rupture a structure no buddy make this thing corrupt you
Testament I say to the spirit of the culture
Strange how things seem to remain the same
When all the while we a try fi make change

Twist the lines out of all recognition
Understand this unnu have fi make a decision

One step forward two step back
One step forward two step back
cluttercookie
2025-03-12
Perfect tune to play after making a Successful Grocery store run
carlos06escobar
2025-03-12
To be seen seen is what it all seems to mean...
melinettex3
2025-03-11
One of the most scary tracks ever made for me.
feliciacharity
2025-03-11
Timeless classic, nothing like it and probably will never be ... This is dubstep.
marigel1124
2025-03-10
Make me happy, thanks!
"A stone will be thrown at the state and a stone will be thrown at the churches"
- Lee Scratch Perry
webasun
2025-03-09
RIP to the legend Lee Scratch Perry. The madman, the upsetting upsetter. Rastafari King of dub. May your colorful soul rest easy in waves of sound and time. A man never to be forgotten.
vmojihevljih
2025-03-09
My God, i love kode9 so much
kenansogut
2025-03-08
YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR PURPOSE