Expectations for this weren't exactly high. After all they're five albums in and by now most electronic acts tend to run out if ideas. But then Hot Chip are a band and not just a couple of knob twiddlers.
Whilst their sound hasn't evolved massively, I gather their confidence has. From recent interviews with the band the suggestion is a move from major label EMI to a new indie home Domino has given them a greater faith in their own songwriting. IN OUR HEADS is certainly their most upbeat record yet. As well as being massively danceable it's actually really good fun.
'Don't Deny You Heart' are uplifting disco pop that could have appeared on Michael Jackson's Off The Wall. 'How Do You Do?' is a proper dance-floor number with synth lines reminiscent from Daft Punk's 'Derezzed'. 'Night & Day' still seems like an quirky odd for a lead single as there are more obviously commercial tracks, though it is extremely catchy.
There are slower moments that offer some breathing space between the floor-fillers. In another dimension 'Look At Wear We Are' is probably a slick RnB ballad sung by R Kelly. It has that slow tempo and sickly sweet West-Coast slickness. Though in Hot Chip's hands it's just sweet. 'Now There Is Nothing' is the sort of pure cheese that McCartney and Wings used to churn out. The keyboards and naive melody give it a real early '80s feel. It's cute though.
This album does nothing to dispel the Hot Chip cliche of "it's dance music with emotion", a tag due to Alexis Taylor's fragile sounding vocal style, but it does prove that they can have a lot more fun.
All in all, being in Hot Chip's head is quite a good place to be right now.
'DON'T DENY YOUR HEART'
'HOW DO YOU DO?'
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