Hercules & Love Affair is the musical project of New York based DJ Andy Butler. Intended as group that would use a rotating mixture of musicians and singers it's most notable inclusion is the highly distinctive vocalist Antony Hegarty from Antony & The Johnsons.
Its a re-imagining of decadent days of disco. Its musically rich and lush, heavily layered effects and instruments at times to the extent that it sounds like one of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra albums -especially the ebullient Hercules Theme. The record it mixes house, disco, electro, 70s funk and Chicago house often with Latin rhythms. It's a very New York sounding record.
But like Hot Chip an LCD Sound System Hercules mixes upbeat electronic music with melancholic lyrics and vocals which is where the inclusion of Hegarty comes into his own. Without a doubt the tracks that feature his lyrics and tremulous vocals are the most distinctive and memorable; the betrayal song 'Free Will' and the euphoric club-classic 'Blind'.
The first half is upbeat and fun but as you move into the second half of the album things do get a little darker and introspective. As if echoing the rise and fall of the NY disco scene the party euphoria turning into dance-floor psychosis.
BLIND
YOU BELONG
HERCULES' THEME
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