Heavily anticipated, "Made in the Dark" meets but doesn't surpass expectations; it doesn't amaze and it does not disappoint disappoint.
Kicking off with "Out at the Pictures," the album makes its mission statement clear from the get-go. After a synthesized intro backed with the barely audible murmur of a live crowd, "Out at the Pictures" slowly builds to a faster synth march before drums and bass kick in.
The beat, which could easily draw comparisons to the sound effect"laden style of The Faint, is joined by guitar, growing and continuing for nearly two minutes until the first vocals kick in. When they do join in, however, the vocals steal the limelight with stuttering lyrics and duets that recall an old familiar tune.
In a recent interview with Blender.com, band members Felix Martin and Joe Goddard acknowledged that "Made in the Dark" features elements that are "more frenetic and more aggressive" and "far more relaxed and more gentle than records we've made in the past." They only become more confusing when describing the album as "both louder and quieter, both longer and shorter."
Indeed the album embodies that enigma with songs like "We're Looking for a Lot of Love" and "Whistle for Will," which slow down and stretch out Hot Chip's usual impatient thumping into something closer to a ballad, allowing the quintet to experiment with meaningful lyrics for a change.
Meanwhile tracks like "Hold On" and "Shake a Fist" go the opposite direction, speeding things up and relying on synth-mixes to propel the songs forward. The latter goes so far as to introduce a "sounds of the studio game" in which the DJ throws together blips and boops and heavy synth samples to ride out the last few minutes of the tune in nearly techno form.
The track that best synthesizes the two personalities of the band is without a doubt "Ready for the Floor," the first single from "Made In The Dark." "I am hoping with chance you might take this dance," croons lead singer Alexis Taylor, inviting the listener to give in to the unavoidably catchy tune. The track is a hit, perfect on its own as a single as well as within the greater context of "Made In The Dark," serving as the glue that holds a seemingly disjointed album together.
Hot Chip has gained much of their publicity since the band's formation through remixes. All five of the band's members have since learned their way around a turntable and mixing booth. With over 40 separate remixes attributed to the group, Goddard noted, talking to Blender.com, "We've remixed almost everyone."
From Amy Winehouse to Kraftwerk, few have been spared the knife of Hot Chip. This remix mentality bleeds through to Hot Chip's own work, and the influence can be seen all over "Made in the Dark."
Many times on the album, the group seems to have latched on to a few central ideas, using them as support beams for a song and not worrying themselves too much about the structure they are supporting. The result is a series of songs with brilliant snapshots -- a hook, a beat, a verse -- floating in a sea of less intriguing sound.
"Wrestlers" exemplifies this flaw, starting with an inviting and contagious vocal introduction but failing to capitalize on it, resulting in a lackluster track that will inevitably be skipped on iPods nationwide. One hook does not a good song make.
It could be that the remix is simultaneously Hot Chip's greatest weapon and its Achilles Heel. By failing to commit to entire songs and relying heavily on studio techniques and loops, Hot Chip has essentially created a signature style and watered it down at the same time. When songs come together and see an idea through to fruition the result is potent and powerful (see "Ready for the Floor," "We're Looking for a Lot of Love" and "Out at the Pictures"). But when they fail to do so the tracks are mostly forgettable ("Bubbles they Bounce," "Bendable Poseable").
"Made in the Dark" is a good album by a potentially great group. Although not better than "The Warning" (2006) the record continues Hot Chip's growth and evolution, showing that the band is not a one-trick pony. Still, despite a dynamite single and a dynamic album, they'll need to solidify and condense their ideas if they're going to pack the punch of their potential.
