Hot Chip Relax On 'One Night Stand'
More mid-tempo songs show growth from Hot Chip, but they’re still figuring this new sound out on 'One Life Stand.'
Hot Chip
One Life Stand
Released on Feb 09, 2010
When one thinks of electronic music, “calm” and “mid-tempo” aren’t normally choice adjectives to describe it. However, those are the exact words that Alexis Taylor mentioned to NME back in 2009 when asked to talk about the band’s upcoming album One Life Stand. While this album wouldn’t be the ideal soundtrack for a tranquil evening at home, listeners are in for a slightly more relaxed sound that Hot Chip’s previous album Made in the Dark offered.
The first half of this album is fantastic—the pace is decidedly less frantic than previous releases, but in no way does that make it less entertaining. Hot Chip has that enviable ability to make electronic music sound good for more than three minutes, and that’s put on display with the first track “Thieves in the Night.” The track is just over six minutes, and the band does a great job of slowly building sounds until all of the sudden, you realize you’re listening to a fairly complex—yet still danceable—song.
They keep the momentum going with a strong piano and drum intro on the next song, “Hand Me Down Your Love.” The sound is restrained, but in a very exciting way. They’ve already shown they can make songs with infectious beats, so the practiced control apparent on tracks like this proves to be just as compelling as their other, catchier songs.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
They keep the momentum going with a strong piano and drum intro on the next song, “Hand Me Down Your Love.” The sound is restrained, but in a very exciting way. They’ve already shown they can make songs with infectious beats, so the practiced control apparent on tracks like this proves to be just as compelling as their other, catchier songs.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
The first half of this album is fantastic—the pace is decidedly less frantic than previous releases, but in no way does that make it less entertaining. Hot Chip has that enviable ability to make electronic music sound good for more than three minutes, and that’s put on display with the first track “Thieves in the Night.” The track is just over six minutes, and the band does a great job of slowly building sounds until all of the sudden, you realize you’re listening to a fairly complex—yet still danceable—song.
They keep the momentum going with a strong piano and drum intro on the next song, “Hand Me Down Your Love.” The sound is restrained, but in a very exciting way. They’ve already shown they can make songs with infectious beats, so the practiced control apparent on tracks like this proves to be just as compelling as their other, catchier songs.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
They keep the momentum going with a strong piano and drum intro on the next song, “Hand Me Down Your Love.” The sound is restrained, but in a very exciting way. They’ve already shown they can make songs with infectious beats, so the practiced control apparent on tracks like this proves to be just as compelling as their other, catchier songs.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
“I Feel Better” sounds like it would be equally at home on a remixed Eurythmics album. Some people might be turned off by that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t be more engaged by that synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately, two tracks later, the album experiences a lull in the form of “Slush.” The repeated “hum-en-na” intro sounds like a bad a capella group warming up, and the tired guitar doesn’t sound promising. Turns out, it’s not. Right around the four-minute mark, the addition of steel drum sounds steers the track into the nearly unlistenable classification. While Hot Chip can certainly produce great mid-tempo music, the slow jam is not an archetype that they should try again.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
Thankfully, they get their beat back on the following track “Alley Cats,” but from that point on, One Life Stand fails to recapture the fun and interest that the first five songs offered. While five great songs is nothing to scoff at, it still seems like they’re trying to work out the kinks in this more relaxed, slightly disco-influenced sound.
High Point
“Hand Me Down Your Love.” This track offers one of the more intriguing intros on the album, because it doesn’t rely solely on electronic sounds to establish the beat. It shows how they’ve developed, but it isn’t a radically polarizing departure from the sound their fans have grown to love.
Low Point
“Slush.” It’s sloppy and doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the album. Also, around the :45 mark, the guitar/drum sound makes me feel like I should be slow-dancing in a high school gym.
Posted by Alyssa Vincent on Feb 09, 2010 @ 9:30 am
