Employee of the Month - The Anomalies

This Anomalies single is as fun as anything they've ever done. Employee of the Month takes a slightly depressing topic and turns it into a summery vibe tune. The guitar is reminiscent of the likes of Franz Ferdinand until the beat comes in, maybe this is a product of the 'white crunk' Kanye West said Glasgow's skinny-trouser/skinny-tie rockers were making? With Lethal Bizzle's (interviewed for this month's Skinny) conviction that grime and indie are natural bedfellows, maybe there is something in West's oddball assertion. Whatever the reason, the hip-hop sits well with the punk rock chords on this track. When the sax kicks in on Hats and Glasses it completes the picture of a band who take from a wealth of influences, a band unafraid to mix it up or dabble. It's an attitude like that's seen them support acts from Groove Armada to Goldie, from DJ Yoda to Sway. The freshness of their songs seems to come from honesty of expression, and a comfort with their own style that comes with experience coats it all with just enough polish to work. If rumours are to be believed, their live set is even better. [James Blake]