Album Review: In Our Heads - Hot Chip

Image source: BBC.co.ukI've already commented before that Hot Chip's last album, 2010‘s One Life Stand, left me a little cold... It felt like a band slipping through the cracks, trapped between two sounds, and whilst the result was not bad per se it just came off a little unsatisfying. In retrospect this makes some sense - Hot Chip have now split from major EMI and In Our Heads represents their first album for independent Domino.

More than any other single variable the move from a major feels like a considerable contributing factor to what is undoubtedly a return to form. In Our Heads feels like a band freed up from their own (or the label's?) image of what they should be. These songs are almost all less obviously pop than anything Hot Chip have released before. Whilst there are plenty of hooks and the trademark catchy choruses remain there are less radio friendly trick shots and more grown up songs than ever before.

Opener 'Motion Sickness' sets the pace, it's a soaring eighties ballad wrapped in early house production and it manages to achieve this without even appearing to try too hard. It's a disconcerted tribute to our complex times and music's key role in guiding us through it. And it is also beautiful - Alexis Taylor seemingly overwhelmed by his own capacity to feel, particularly when it comes to music - "Remember when people thought the world was round / everything spins on my head / on my compact disk" he sings.

Emotionally In Our Heads seems most preoccupied with the friction that exists between the heart's desire to take risks and the head's self-preservation instincts. Just listen to 'Don't Deny Your Heart', with its over-eager choruses, for example. The flip side of this feeling is the mind's inability to rid itself of the subject of the heart once it has crawled up inside and lain roots, as felt through the syrupy ballad 'Look At Where We Are' and the raw 'These Chains' - that unwillingness to move on.

This conflict keeps the album moving and culminates in the standout track 'Flutes' (which can be heard here). It's a sombre epic tale of retribution - that moment when you realise that failed relationships or emotional mis-fires take two. It builds over seven-minutes into a climatic emotional house record that calls to mind equal parts Detroit techno and Manchester bands New Order and Electronic.

For all the awkward angst of 'Flutes' the other standout is the even longer 'Let Me Be Him'. It's a wonderfully warm-hearted eighties inspired power ballad reminiscent of The Thompson Twins, the optimistic inevitable emotional rebirth punctuated by a belted out ”oh hey ho” refrain. Just try to resist joining in.

By going with their hearts rather than their heads Hot Chip have made In Our Heads one of their most complete and emotionally significant albums to date.

In Our Heads is released on Domino tomorrow, available for pre-order from Amazon.co.uk on CD, LP and MP3 [affiliate links].

Stream In Our Heads on Spotify below (Spotify account required):

Stream: Night and Day - Hot Chip

Last month I was excited to post a video of 'Flutes' from Hot Chip's new album, In Our Heads. Well here is the first single proper, due out a week before the album on 4 June. It's a pretty heavy weight twisted funk track with a lovely bass line on it.

The single comes out on Domino on 12" and digital download and will include a remix from 2 Bears.

Video: Flutes - Hot Chip

The last Hot Chip album One Life Stand left me a little cold. Whilst it had a couple of standout moments it felt like more of the same after two stronger abums. This, the first track taken from Hot Chips forthcoming fifth album In Our Heads, has me excited to hear what comes next.

In Our Heads is due out on Domino (a change from Parlophone) on 11 June 2012.

Comment: Franz Ferdinand covers get a remix and some videos

Last year Domino put out an EP of cover versions from Franz Ferdinand's Tonight album for Record Store Day, with versions by Stephin Merrit, Peaches and LCD Soundsystem amongst others. They are now about to release a series of remixes of these cover versions and have recently put out a video for each cover.

The remixes themselves feel a little bit hit and miss but the most exciting is certainly Brennan Green's remix of 'Live Alone', which draws from the original as well as both LCD Soundsystem and Debbie Harry's covers. Check it out:

The above mixes are taken from 12" 2, you can check out the other mixes here.

Of the 'original' covers I'm predictably smitten with the LCD one - if you haven't heard it check out the new video directed by Gabriel Pulecio below:

The remixes come out on 19 March and Franz Ferdinand are to headline London's Field Day on Saturday 2 July.

Single Review / Stream: Orion remixes - Sons & Daughters

I was a big fan of Sons & Daughters' Mirror! Mirror! album that came out last year and the band have just followed it up with their second batch of remixes, this time focused on 'Orion' (Optimo and Andy Blake have already had a go at 'Silver Spell').

Have a listen in the player above. The Wrong Island mix is pretty decent, spacey and a bit spooky with a massive synth build whilst the Umberto mix is unfortunately pretty forgettable. It's the Emporer Machine mix you should really check out though. Emporer Machine is actually Andy Meecham, one half of the under-rated Chicken Lips, and this mix really takes the original to another level - it retains the same aggresiveness but cuts it through with bubbling electronic bass. It's pretty special and frankly a lesson in good remixing, probably adding as much detail and effort as the original recording.

BP x

The Orion Remixes package is released on Domino on 20 February, you can pre-order is on 12" from Amazon.co.uk here [affiliate link].