Anthropods is the new band from American drummer and composer, Mark Holub. Holub, known mainly as bandleader of the acclaimed and Mercury Prize nominated Led Bib has with ‘Anthropods’ created his first project as a leader since starting Led Bib in 2003. While some of Holub’s trademark Led Bib style is evident here, the album is full of contrasts, from pastoral beauty to dense free improvisation to heavy grooves, showcasing sides of Holub’s work well beyond his work with Led Bib.
Holub has been based in Vienna, Austria since 2012. The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic stopped all touring, all life, but gave Holub an unexpected opportunity- time to finally start his own project in Vienna, as bandleader, something he had been planning for years, but never found the time to do. For Holub, this band wasn’t about creating a new Austrian Led Bib, but was a total reassessment of what he wanted to produce as a composer and bandleader. With Led Bib always being very much a collaborative project, this was the chance for Holub to start afresh, and think about what he would want to make with completely new musicians, and a fresh palette.