Album Awesomeness: Hot Chip - Made in the Dark

Hot Chip

Here the Hot Chip boys have the task of following up a hugely successful breakthrough single (the unavoidable 'Over and Over') from a populist album that captured the spirit of its time (i.e.2006). Fortunately they appear to have either ignored or enjoyed the pressure, producing an album as intricate, exciting and witty as any released in the last year.

Opener 'Out at the Pictures' builds out of insistent synths and crowd noise like a statement of intent, growing into a slightly awkward sounding introduction which happily transforms itself into a bit of a stomper. This continues into 'Shake a Fist', one of the darkest, bassiest tunes the band has produced, sounding like a meeting of the coven of witches of Macbeth at an illegal rave, somewhat like you'd want the Klaxons to sound in five ears time when they've actually worked out what they're doing - the sound of the future, then.

It's after this stellar opening, also encompassing current single 'Ready for the Floor' that things start to get interesting. A section of mid-tempo ballads (hang on in there), climaxing with the title track, all early-seventies minimal guitar work and subtle lounge-synths, a bit like Fleetwood Mac's 'Albatross' produced by James Ford, and also involving thel ate-New Order-esque 'One Pure Thought', where the band break out the guitars to great effect.

A great variety, then, but not without a showstopper: 'Wrestlers' takes the idea of the war of the sexes into an arena dominated by the WWF and spandex-clad theatrical heroes. With a squelchy bassline. And "Half-nelson, full-nelson, Willie Nelson..." has to be a contender for top-festival-shout-Summer 2008. The sound of a band taking on the burden of succes and coming out triumphant, Made in the Dark should see the light of your cd player this week.

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