Perpetually heads and shoulders above the rest of the disco-nouveau/electro pack, London's Hot Chip boldly flies the imperiled analogue-lover's flag on their sophisticated new release, One Life Stand.
Highlighting their underground roots and fanatical devotion to Detroit techno, the beat, or at least the full rhythm section, doesn’t drop till well after the one-minute mark on most of these tracks, creating a slow-burn arrangement style. The acid-house bounce of “We Have Love” denotes a marked departure from the Arthur Baker–by-way-of-DFA punk-funk vibe of their earlier hits. Pulsing with a dirty bass line reminiscent of “White Horse”-era Laid Back, the title track also includes a dense layering of post-mashup-style synths that make it modern enough to transcend cliché. Though the expansive “I Feel Better” is a somewhat commercial offering, the majority of these thoughtful tracks are reined-in, personal, and still a remix away from being floor-burners. No complaints here.