HOT CHIP
Freakout/Release (Domino)
It’s the thumping, luminescent lead single Down which opens Hot Chip’s eighth album, Freakout/Release. Unsurprisingly, the second single, Eleanor, follows – an effortless electropop gem which falls just short of the originality of their early hit, Ready For The Floor.
The album’s title track features a Kraftwerk-inspired refrain and a sumptuous mixture of heavy synths with grizzly guitars, and Hot Chip’s 80s love affair continues with Broken, a synth-laden ballad, this time opting for a laid-back Pet Shop Boys vibe.
Despite this album’s merits, the songwriting can feel tired: its vocal melodies sometimes go through the motions, while the sonic elements are more liable to evolve and pique the listener’s interest. The album promises great things at the start and ends on a euphoric high with Out Of Depth, but has a less than impactful middle. Freakout/Release is a keepsake fitting comfortably within the Hot Chip anthology, without vying for all the attention.
words ROSANNA LEWIS
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