Artist: Whip, The
Label: Pias Records
Release: 2008
Rating: 3/5
The Whip are a young English electro pop/rock outfit who got going in the middle of the 2000s. For a while they were a somewhat lesser-known indie electronic act, but in 2006 they finally got a bit more of the spotlight with the release of the single Frustration. Blackout is the title of the single the guys (and girl) put out in 2008, ahead of the album X Marks Destination, and it features three different versions of the song Blackout, each one showing the band in a slightly different light.
At times they recall the somewhat older pop band Pulp, especially with their stylish electro pop/rock, that is, when the emphasis is more on the pop/rock and not so much on the electro. For the most part, though, the focus is on a more commercial take on electro pop, reminiscent of Hot Chip. There are quite a few good instrumental parts where the music develops dramatically. A lot of the music leans on samples, but there are some rocking guitar parts too. Those rock parts are, in my opinion, the weak spot of this band, since they’re very ordinary and pretty typical. We’ve heard all of this before from the likes of Pulp, Blur and whoever else. The electronic parts are quite a bit better. You can tell they come from more of a dance background, as the music is much more steady and free-flowing, and you can also spot a stamp of their own (though this kind of electro pop isn’t exactly groundbreaking either).
With this single, The Whip have proven that we can expect them to grow into one of the best and most popular electro pop acts in Britain and maybe even in the world, but if you do want to buy something of theirs, I’d still rather recommend the whole album X Marks Destination. Blackout is for those who aren’t sure whether they’ll like the music and don’t want to spend too much money.
Lineup
Danny Saville, Fiona Daniel, Nathan Sudders, Bruce Carter – instruments and vocals
Production
The Whip and Jim Abbiss
Tracklist
1. Blackout [Radio Edit] 3:46
2. Blackout [Original Version] 6:13
3. Blackout [Ashley Beedles Next Generation Edit] 8:50
