Hot Chip - DJ Kicks

The first DJ Kicks album from Hot Chip eases you in with Grovesnor's Nitemoves, a soulful and sublime tune with a low beat tempo sliding into hip-hop classic I Got a Man, and soon jump-starts the belief that this is going to be oh so good! But the feeling is short-lived, as synthesizer central kicks in between Mel C and Bjork vocals, and all of a sudden the beats disappear, and any inspiring and upbeat flair ebbs away from the following tracks. By the time New Order kicks in, many people will be asleep wondering if the DJs were also having a snooze. Some of the later tracks stand out for their electro and psychedelic sounds, but this album may leave a sense of bewilderment as to when the music is going to give you that Hot Chip 'buzz', which is created so eloquently on their second album, The Warning. Maybe performed live they could fuel the mix with life, but this is one to keep for a relatively chilled evening! [Lara Moloney]