Hot Hot Heat – Future Breeds

 

The fifth album is an awkward beast, generally three releases after initial public interest wanes, yet at least two to go before establishing permanence. These Vancouver based indie-disco hucksters are doing their best to stay relevant in these intervening years, and with Future Breeds prove that their hook factory has far from ceased production. Opener YVR channels the living spirit of Nintendo with its boss-level sonic assault, sinister yet playful, and infectiously retro. First single 21@12 trips through rising and falling chords drunkenly, yet somehow miraculously manages to land on its feet. For the most part this is all familiar territory – machine-gun guitar, grinding verses and danceable choruses all present on tracks like Goddess on the Prairie and JFK’s LSD – but with this collection the band has recaptured the freshness of their 2002 debut, only this time with the craftsmanship of seasoned performers. [Oisin Kealy]