Artist: Hot Chip
Label: EMI Records
Release: 2008
Rating: 3.5/5
Hot Chip are four musicians (mostly multi-instrumentalists) who worked as DJs before forming this band. Then they joined forces and put together a supergroup dominated by electronic dance rhythms, which is hardly surprising, given that they all come from an electronic music background. It’s genuinely fascinating to hear what four more or less average musicians with an incredible feel for sound and production can come up with.
The album kicks off very promisingly with At The Pictures and keeps that up until the fifth track, when things get way too predictable. It feels like they spent the best ideas on those early songs and then just recycled them. The later melodies aren’t nearly as fresh and punchy as the opening ones, either. That’s a common problem with popular bands. People catch a great video with a catchy hook on MTV, but when they buy the album, they find out that only that one song was worth the money. But hey, I shouldn’t just talk about other people’s mistakes, since it’s happened to me too. With Hot Chip, I can at least say the first five songs are good, and there are a few bright moments later on as well. I also find the stereotypical track order a bit funny. A couple of dance tracks, one ballad, a couple more dance tracks,… All in all, they’re missing something extra that would set them apart from other similar acts. As the intro suggests, Hot Chip definitely have the talent to squeeze out something more. Maybe next time they should wait another month or so before releasing the album.
The best moments on the album are the instrumental part of Bendable Poseable, with some interesting duels between guitar and keyboards. Then there’s the creepy intro to At The Pictures, which reminds me of a horror flick. I think it was a deliberate effect. They wanted to bring the stereotypical sounds of movie scores to this song too. There are also some good instrumental parts on Ready For The Floor and Shake A Fist (including an intro borrowed from the legendary Todd Rundgren (The Cars, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia)). I’d have a hard time saying any moment is truly bad. Like I said, the album just starts repeating itself too much toward the end.
Made In The Dark is a fun record that will undoubtedly entertain all lovers of dance music. Personally I find it very listenable, but I can’t find any real depth in it. But who says you always have to listen to something deep? Sometimes a few simple dance beats really hit the spot, especially when you’re doing something rhythmic. As is usual with electronic music, the sound and production are once again polished to perfection. I think that’s the right approach for this kind of music, since it emphasizes the electronic and rhythmic side even more. Made In The Dark is a really neat album with enough playfulness and innovation that I can’t call it average, but it’s not so mighty that I’d hype it up to the clouds. For fans of Daft Punk and Fatboy Slim.
Lineup
Alexis Taylor – vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion, piano
Joe Goddard – vocals, synthesizer, percussion
Owen Clarke – guitar
Al Doyle – guitar, synthesizer, percussion
Production
Hot Chip
Tracklist
1. Out at the Pictures 4:26
2. Shake a Fist 5:10
3. Ready for the Floor 3:52
4. Bendable Poseable 3:46
5. We’re Looking for a Lot of Love 4:43
6. Touch Too Much 4:05
7. Made in the Dark 3:00
8. One Pure Thought 4:53
9. Hold On 6:20
10. Wrestlers 3:45
11. Don’t Dance 4:42
12. Whistle for Will 2:23
13. In the Privacy of Our Love 2:52
