Hot Chip Made in the Dark Review
London’s Electro-Pop Band Shake a Fun Fist at Pure Dance Music
New album from Hot Chip, Made in the Dark, injects a little fun into electronic dance pop.
Made in the Dark, the new album from London’s Hot Chip, infuses monster grooves, subtle ballads and a lot of wit and sass into 14 tracks. While an uneven album, it showcases the band for what they are: a bunch of guys who love to have fun playing dance music.
Hot Chip, from London, arrived on the dance floor back in 2000 with their first release, Mexico, and since have been perfecting a sound that came to a new milestone with the 2005 EP Over and Over.
Ready for the Floor
Made in the Dark continues the same groove as Over and Over lead by the poppy UK single “Ready for the Floor”. While most of the album sounds carefree and loose, Hot Chip have created some of the catchiest pop-dance tracks around. Made in the Dark recaptures the type of dance music popular in the 1980’s where clubbers could sing along while dancing and feel embarrassed about it later. Dance music before the arrival of trance and voiceless dub, without sounding too retro.
Like the Barenaked Ladies set to a dance groove, Hot Chip have a knack at pumping out well crafted dance music that sounds easy, containing elements of trance, alternative rock and indie electronica, with witty lyrics and polished awkwardness.
“Hold On”, “Don’t Dance” and “Bubbles They Bounce” inject elements of fun with every beat. This is the sound of popcorn popping and bright sun shiny days rolled into a neat package that sounds just as great in headphones as it does on the Hi Fi at a cocktail party or at a raving dancehall.
Hot Chip Make Sounds of the Studio
“Shake a Fist” the first release from the album begins as a simple pop dance track before quickly stomping into “sounds of the studio” gaming territory with loud digital noise and computer effects, a current obsession among groups like Crystal Castles and Does It Offend You Yeah.
Dance pop gem “Ready for the Floor” contains one of the best hooks around. A fluffy gay-inspired dance track about dancing, this stand out pumps along with a liquid keyboard section and plenty of fun. Made in the Dark could have used a few more cuts like this one.
Skip “Bendable Posable”, “Made in the Dark” and “Wrestlers” and go straight for “We’re looking for a lot of Love” a low tempo slice of electronic bliss and “Touch Too Much” a Phantom of the Opera sounding jam, as well as the pop/rock fusion “One Pure Thought”.
In an interview with Suite 101, lead singer Joe Goddard stated that “our music has been improving greatly over the past couple of years”. While Made in the Dark contains some muted moments over the course of its 14 cuts, as a whole the album shows the talents of a group of dance music enthusiasts who continue to perfect their sound.
A great addition to a summertime dance party play list.
