Hot Chip – One Life Stand

I had gotten home and was debating what to listen to so I went into the other room and grabbed two random records to play. One was a hip-hop album, the other was this one. I grabbed the electronic one simply because it felt right and after searching to ensure I hadn’t talked up this album before, I was surprised. Coincidentally, I wrote about one song off this album practically TWO years ago. First off, two years is a long time to have a blog. It’s sad to not see the kind of growth and progress I/we had hoped for but oh well. It’s also good to see it’s been up for two years now. I guess, no?

Anyways, it made sense to find this album and discuss some of its gorgeous aspects. There’s the way the band gels into a fantastic blend of beats, synths and drums. I never was much of a Hot Chip fan (saying some dumb stuff in that aforementioned post, man my writing can really suck a lot) before this album but once I heard “Thieves in the Night,” I was floored. The vinyl version for this one is a thick, 2-LP, 180-gram, set that really allows the sounds to jump off the record. The way the layers are added altogether into one lulling pull is mesmerizing. The lyrics are joyfully optimistic and the ending culmination makes for an exceptional opener to the album. It’s maybe the best song on all of it but fortunately, the album’s filled with pace and amazing songs throughout; this one just happens to open it.


Before, I had written about the title track and its romantically-infused vibe. Before it comes this song, “I Feel Better,” where the theme is mostly a rising one; almost out of the shell of darkness. The strings on this song are tremendous: they backdrop the entire song as layer after layer of sound is added and they compellingly lead the drive in the song too. It’s a basic toe-tapper where if you blast it you’re gonna find yourself bopping your head away and I imagine, in a club it must hit hard. Who knows if they play this kind of electronic in a club nowadays? All I know is I play this at house parties and people look confused and bored. Personally, I love the flow of the song and how it syncopates the rhythms against the chorus and melody until it all rides away. There’s a strong presence here – of time and precision – and the band’s take on riding the theme of love and all its encounters is grippingly strong. Such great electronic music and such great themes: not boring at all if you ask me. – Bryan