I have yet to not like a band released on DFA Records so far. DFA Records is the record label started by Mr. LCD Soundsystem himself, James Murphy. Mr. Murphy and I agree on a lot of stuff as far as sweet music is concerned. Although DFA Records is now owned by Astralwerks (which is owned by EMI) apparently Murphy is still the one to sign groups because DFA has yet to release a dud. Made In The Dark is Hot Chip's third record and probably the weakest record to come out on DFA in that it's only about half great.
Things start off super. Lead-off track Out At The Pictures is ridiculously catchy and infinitely danceable. Then we get Shake A Fist which sounds like TV On The Radio gone disco. Very nice. Their's this amusing break in the track at about two minutes by one of the Hot Chippers called "Sounds In The Studio" where he tells us to put on headphones and the track then goes into overdrive to an almost Timbaland-ish beat. Next up is Ready For The Floor, another banger with some sick synth straight out of a Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure) record. Track four, Bendable Poseable is another winner.
Then the bottom drops out (literally) as the dancing stops and the Soul music starts with track five We're Looking For A Lot Of Love. This track totally kills the momentum of the record. The rest of the record goes back and forth between decent but not as good as the first part of the record dance tracks and boring Soul-ish croon songs. I must mention track nine Hold On which is probably the best track on the second half of the disc. So overall I would say this is a good but disappointing record. If the entire record had been as great as the first part we'd be talking about one of my favorite records of the year so far. As it is I still enjoy it but am frustrated by it's inconsistencies.
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