Kissy Sell Out - Youth

These days it seems like anyone involved in a vaguely successful indie band can supplement their income by doing “DJ sets.” What’s more unusual is an already established DJ going down the indie route, but that’s exactly what Kissy Sell Out has done. A far cry from the days of floor-filling bangers like Her, Youth has a far more electro-pop sound. The subject matter is mainly sentimental anecdotes from his youth and, although the lyrics are generally upbeat, overall the album might leave you a bit depressed. Why anyone would use the line “Like a fizzy bottle, all the gas comes out” in a song about kissing a girl, for example, is a mystery. Lead single This Kiss is a buoyant enough pop tune and instrumental tracks like Harriet are grungy stompers with just enough bass to keep the old fans happy. A nifty Google search reveals that the ever-charming NME reckons this album “is worse than falling face-first in a pile of poo” and while we wouldn’t quite go this far, if you’re expecting a full-on sweaty dancefest then you’ll be sorely disappointed. [Emma Kilday]