By Amanda Hu
British electropop sensation Hot Chip’s latest effort, Made In The Dark, is one of the catchiest things to come out this year. It houses head-bopping, base-heavy tracks that make you want to dance practically forever, then dies down into slower, calmer pieces. Kicking it all off is “Out At The Pictures,” starting with a synthy, slowly accelerating build that soon breaks into a positively danceable, snare-filled groove-out. The vocals break in and eventually get to a repetitive chorus line that then goes back into the original groove. The whole thing doesn’t let up for the entirety of the track, pushing the dance feel until the end.
The album’s single, “Ready For The Floor,” in addition to being oddly endearing and groovy, inspired what is arguably one of the best videos of the year. With cute lyrics like, “I’m hoping with chance, you might take this dance/ you’re my number one guy,” one is hard-pressed to keep from cracking a smile.
After the dancing subsides, the group delves into slightly darker, more emotional territory. One of the cleverest tracks of the bunch, “Wrestling,” incorporates various references and terms from the title sport, using them as cute and apt metaphors for conflict.
Overall, Hot Chip’s third release maintains a fine balancing act between cheekiness, appealing tunes and the exploration of mixed feelings. Made In The Dark can take you from the dance floor to sitting alone ponderously late at night, all in the course of 54 minutes.