Hot Chip - The Warning

When Hot Chip’s 2004 debut ‘Coming On Strong’ failed to articulate the West Londoners’ skewed pop properly, it seemed like a wasted opportunity and a band failing to live up to their promise. Now they’ve been away for two years, recharged the batteries on their charity shop synths, readjusted their knitwear and returned as one of Britain’s most exciting electronic bands. Dancefloors: beware.

‘The Warning’ succeeds where their debut failed because it just sounds so bloody effortless. In an age where bands are trying to cram as many influences in as possible and sounding like they’re trying way too hard, Hot Chip’s breezy eclecto-pop manages to cover all their wide ranging record collections without coming across as insufferably smug. There’s the downbeat Parisian disco of ‘Boy From School’ (like Daft Punk taking Joy Division on a walk along the Seine), ‘Tchparian’s Neptunes inspired groove crunk or ‘Careful’s off-kilter drum ‘n’ bass - all deliciously varied without sounding aloof or inaccessible. Even though their minor-key melodies might sound odd rubbing up against bloops ‘n’ beats, the quartet’s meticulously hypnotic harmonies make sure it never strays too far into sickly, bittersweet territory.

While ‘Over And Over’s crunchy electro might be tearing up indie discos up and down the land, there’s a warmer, more relaxed heart to the rest of their sophomore album, and one that’s just begging to be explored. A delight.