The only thing I pretty much liked about Hot Chip was their fantastic remix of the Gorillaz's 'Kids Like Guns'. I am not a fan of their usual dance-y, humorous songs, although I have always been intrigued by their faithfulness to 90s synth pop and their lack of seriousness.
This album is stylistically the same as in every other album they have put out. The album is colourful, with numerous high synth sounds that burst out in a kaleidoscope of bouncy noises. It is infectious.
Songwriting is also quite strong in this album. Songs display enough variety to keep you engaged, the slow-moving ballad 'Look At Where We Are' is a wonderful love song to listen to at night. 'These Chains' features some nice upbeat rhythms and atmospheric vocals that would fit in nicely in a dance catalog. Opener 'Motion Sickness' sounds like a cross between Animal Collective and Depeche Mode and displays the aforementioned bright synths that give off a very euphoric vibe, not to mention that the song is also one of the catchier songs on the album.
All in all, I think even if this album is not going to make me a Hot Chip fan immediately, it is a significantly strong release and has several memorable songs that aren't as gimmicky or commercial as the modern pop albums released this year. There is serious passion with these guys in whatever they do, and their insistence on sticking with the old school sound of dance rock gives them an obvious edge among their money-gobbling peers.
Rating: ★★★★☆ Good - Strong flow, immediately grabs you
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