RHYTHM CIRCUS

DAFT PUNK // GET LUCKY

They’re nice robots, they’re gracious’, words spoken directly from Pharrell Williams himself, who features as the lead vocalist on the eagerly anticipated debut single from what is set to be the coolest, hottest, most anticipated, etc, etc, etc ,etc album of 2013, Random Access Memories, by Daft Punk.

Gracious they are indeed, to finally put us out of our misery. Get Lucky was released at midnight last night (EST), and after months of drip feeding snippets of information and a chasm of saturated fakes and remixes, all speculation can finally be put to rest and let the real Daft Punk fill our ears with joy.

Get Lucky, a collaboration with Nile Rodgers and Pharrell, features the ever so cool and recognisable disco guitar inversions of Rodgers, who brings the track to life and lifts dance music out of the stale march which it had positioned itself in, and back into the groove. Pharrell adds a smooth sparkly melody, repeating the chorus line, ‘We’re up all night to get lucky, we’re up all night to get lucky’. Get Lucky is four minutes of genius production, recording, instrumentation and arranging, that may make you question much of your music collection.

For those yearning for the classic Daft Punk sound, it is still here, it’s everywhere. They’ve masterminded a new wave of electronic dance music, again. They’ve even managed to bring their ever so recognisable robotic vocoder to life that repeats, ‘we’re up all night to get lucky, we’re up all night to get lucky’. AND, there’s even a cheeky ‘Discovery’ era’esque synth solo towards the end that feels so real and humane.

Maybe they really are Human After All.

Get Lucky, is out on iTunes NOW.
The full album, Random Access Memories, is out May 21st

Words > William Rowe

Comedown Machine is up against the odds. As well as having a crap title and an apathetic album sleeve, it has been released without any press or tour dates and is tasked with repairing the damage caused by its disjointed, poorly received predecessor, Angles. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, it is easy to dislike this album. It is galaxies away from the intensity and impact of Is This It, the album which ignited the 2001 New York scene and paved the way for skinny jeans and guitar-led indie bands. But in fairness, that was twelve years and five albums ago.

In truth, Comedown Machine is a bold mishmash of different sounds and genres and makes for an intriguing, if slightly inaccessible, listen. Opening track, Tap Out, begins with a signature screeching guitar but quickly morphs into a catchy, toe-tapping pop tune with a chorus which doesn’t sound dissimilar to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing. If that wasn’t weird enough, One Way Trigger could almost pass as a rendition of A-Ha’sTake On Me. The 80’s nostalgia characterised by Mario Kart-esque bleeps, synthy guitars and Julian Casablancas’ melodic warbling, is prominent throughout the album. Rather than being a rock comeback, Comedown Machine is more of an 80’s revival.

But just when you think you have the album all figured out, standout track 50 50 appears from the behind the shadow of shoulder pads and bad perms and grabs you unapologetically by the balls. Crunching guitars, furious drums and Casablancas’ throaty, reverb-drenched vocals embody something very familiar. It sounds like The Strokes. Everything that was brilliant about Is This It is encapsulated in this one track. And you can’t help but think it’s a shame that the rest of the album isn’t like this. Perhaps especially in a UK market currently dominated by the likes of Bastille and Mumford and Sons, a bit of searing New York poser punk might have done well to diversify mainstream music, just like it did twelve years ago.

‘What ifs’ aside, however, Comedown Machine is an experimental and interesting album. It is much more accomplished than Angles and the band sound more cohesive than they have done in years. In many ways, comparing it to their 2001 debut is superfluous and negates the natural process of creative evolution which every longstanding, iconic band go through. Although somewhat schizophrenic in its veering from 80’s revival, to indie rock, to smooth jazz (check Call It Fate Call It Karma for a sublime jazz coup), it’s an honest album which offers some reprieve for Strokes fans who have been left nonplussed after years of obscurity and perceived apathy from the band.

Comedown Machine is available now.

Words > Paula Croggon

Perhaps when you hear of a new Ed Banger Records release, you think of lacerated electronic music, championed by the likes of Justice and SebastiAn, of which among some music fanatics there seems to be a ‘theme a la Marmite’. What you might not expect from the label’s latest endeavour, is a smoother, less jarring on the ear release from Thibaut Berland, AKA  Breakbot as label boss Pedro Winter expands his brand with a more eclectic roster.

By Your Side, a 70s pop throwback, is polished with impeccable production. It certainly has its moments, with perfect cadences coupled with 7th stabs. However, in true French style (much like predecessors Cassius/Daft Punk) he is able to sidestep becoming a pop tart and remain effortlessly cool.

The album’s genesis Break of Dawn, along with singles Fantasy andOne out of Two fill your ears with funky baselines and classic disco strings, whilst there’s a homage to Chic’s R’n’B vibe in the more low-fi You Should Know and Why. This theme is continued with the slow moving The Mayfly and the Light, featuring Irfane, who also makes vocal appearances on One Out of Two, Baby I’m Yours, Another Dawn and A Mile Away.

Berlands inspired choice of vocal complementation goes far from unnoticed on this album as his influences spill out through the speakers and it’s clear to see his reasoning for using Ruckazoid on numerous tracks, whos androgynous voice pays tribute to the late Michael Jackson.

Whilst we have seen many versions of the 70s disco/funk remade in recent years, with Chromeo adding the electro touch and Daft Punk adding the vocoder, you really feel with Breakbot that you are funking and grooving with Dirk Diggler himself.

He certainly brings new meaning to the word ‘Nu-Disco’, whether you like that term or not, Breakbot’s debut LP certainly is new disco.

Breakbot – By Your Side is available at ED BANGER RECORDS.

Words > William Rowe.

DEPLHIC // COLLECTIONS

The second album from electro/indie band Delphic comes in the amazing package that is Collections. Back in 2010, the band put out their debut album, Acolyte which was met with a great reception and thrust them into a world of success. Now, a few years on, they are back with a new ‘collection’ of tracks which seem much stronger than those which featured on the previous release – a sign that things can only get better for fans.

As soon as the listener presses play on this album, they are transported to a world of synthesisers, a mixture of electronic and acoustic percussive instruments, and strong vocals which seem to sink in amongst the music; yet stand out ahead and drive things forward at the same time. The first track, Of The Young, greets its audience with a catchy chorus and an opening which will easily entice any new listeners to continue on with the rest of the album. And they will be thankful they did when they are presented with the second track, Baiya. Here, a strong string melody leads into what is arguably the best track on the entire release. The chorus sinks its teeth into your memory and it will be a long which until you are able to forget what you have heard.

The good times don’t seem to end with this album, it would be easy for the band to have placed all the best tracks at the beginning of the album, and then for things to trail off, but every single track here stands out in its own right. The halfway point, Atlas, provides a much mellower, yet dramatic offering when compared to the previous tracks. A series of rising synths and layered vocals supported by an electronic drum beat allows this track to power through for a solid six minutes. Admittedly, the first half of the album seems more memorable than the second half but that is no discredit to the last five songs, just a major credit to the first five.

By the end of Collections, the listener is left with a lot to think about in terms of what they have just heard. For anybody who enjoyed the first album, this new release will be welcomed with tears of joy, as the band have retained their original appeal and have only improved from their earlier work. To anybody who has not heard of the band before, this release will pretty much assure that they will rush out to buy the debut as well.

Delphic are currently touring the UK and it seems essential for fans to go and see them and hear as many tracks from the new album as they can live before they disappear from setlists of future tours.

Collections is out now.

Words > Steve Morris