Hot Chip
Album: One Life Stand (EMI)
Heavily synthetic sounds have long clashed with the raw sentiments of the human heart. Over the years, musicians have toiled to produce the perfect musical mix of the hot and hungry mess that is emotion and the seemingly cold and emulated entity that is electronica. With the release of their fourth studio album, One Life Stand, London lads Hot Chip have perfected this musical mix.
Celebrated – and Grammy nominated – for their unconventional and eccentric approach to electronic sound,
One Life Stand sees the London five piece strip back their renowned electronic rhythms, teaming them seamlessly with tender human emotion. Where previous Hot Chip tracks have been labelled as brilliantly erratic and cheeky, One Life Stand’s mature approach to the topic of love brings into being the most coherent record from the boys to date.
The album’s tracks share the same mood and tone, affectionately discussing love in all its facets. From aching ballads about the never-ending capacity of love (Alley Cats) to anthems for monogamy (One Life Stand), the album reveals a more direct and personal style of song writing from the band. With clever, carefully constructed melodies and a mix of falsetto and brooding vocals,
One Life Stand is sure to resonate on new levels with its listeners. Although it might not be exactly what we were expecting from the British indie-electro group, it is more than worth a listen. Who knew dance music could be so meaningful.
-Erin Dalton
You Me At Six
Album: Hold Me Down (EMI)
The second offering of UK band You Me At Six, Hold Me Down is tipped to be big in 2010. Released earlier this year, the album coincided with the band hitting Australian shores for Soundwave 2010. The first track 'The Consequence' has already received airplay on Triple J and is a vibrant and driven kick off to the album. The album also features their EP track, 'Underdog' which deserves to be played loud and enjoyed a stint in number 49 in their home countries charts. However by track 3 the album begins to lose its pace (and also begins to mirror slow verse/driving chorus formula of the Lostprophets). The remainder of the album is solid and fans of upcoming acts such as Dead Letter Circus and Calling All Cars will probably find something to appreciate in You Me At Six's sound.
The vocal stylings of Josh Franceschi won't be unfamiliar, as they are a staple of the genre. 'Hold Me Down's heartfelt lyrics are likely to appeal to those experiencing the rollercoaster of teenage relationships. You'd probably be close to the truth in assuming the lyricists were harbouring some bad romantic feelings. This aside, the album is great for first time listeners and bridges the gap between mainstream pop punk and the more hardcore genres.
-Alex Stewart
Four Tet
Album: There is Love in You (EMI)
More dignified than my favourite ‘Friends’ character (see video), 4 Tet takes a similar word-less approach and proves that music doesn’t need lyrics. A collection of beautiful sounds that can only make you imagine what the devil’s song would sound like if he were wearing a halo (total blasphemy mind you), this incredible music makes you want to get up and (well, at the risk of sounding lame..) groove to the eccentric beats and sounds. 4 Tet’s newest album ‘There Is Love In You’ is a fantastic dance album, though it does remind me of ET and fluoro lights at some stages. Starting with the cymbals in ‘Angel Echoes’ continuing all the way to a strange heartbeat that loops for a whole 9 seconds in ‘Pablo’s Heart’ and followed by ‘Sing’ which strangely reminds me of those Mario game theme song on Game Boy Advance, the album features nine of their fabulous songs. Now, if you’re one for shouting out lyrics at the top of your lungs, this probably isn’t your style, but for those who enjoy ‘Folktronica’, this is your newest baby.
-Samantha Tran
March 8, 2010