Music Review: Hot Chip - Made In The Dark

After gaining acclaim with The Warning, Hot Chip returns with their third release Made In The Dark. Filled with a great mix of songs, it's a worthy follow-up to their breakthrough album.

Made In The Dark begins with a one-two-three punch of great tracks. "Out At The Pictures" opens the album and spends a little time building to its energetic hook. Another great upbeat track, "Shake A Fist," follows. This track gets you completely engaged in its beat before abruptly stopping mid-song. A voice tells us that about a game called sounds of the studio, which is just a clever excuse to change up the beat. A new, slightly more frenetic beat starts and soon it seamlessly takes us right back where we started. The whole experience adds a fun twist to an already good track, although the appeal lessens after the first couple of listens.

The album's first single, "Ready For The Floor," comes next and its title is pretty self-explanatory. It's the catchiest song on the album. The hook is addicting and you'll find yourself singing along in no time. There are also plenty of other good tracks to be found on the album. "Wrestlers" features some of the silly charm found on the group's first album, Coming On Strong. With lyrics like "I've got a roll of coins / Aiming for your loins" and a rundown of wrestling moves ranging from "half-nelson" to "Willie Nelson," you can't help but be amused.

Like "Shake A Fist," "Don't Dance" also changes its beat mid-song. What makes this song stand out is the way it's handled. While "Shake A Fist" stops completely to let everybody take a breather, "Don't Dance" actually ramps things up and keeps the pace going all the way until the end.

Article Author: Sterfish

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