Hot Chip - One Life Stand

If listening to Nickelback is like dating the captain of the football team, listening to Hot Chip is like getting with the president of the marching band. Both can provide a thrill, but shit, the sweet, geeky Hot Chip is gonna treat you better in the long run. On their fourth album, they bring that long-term commitment to fans, exclaiming, “I only wanna be your one life stand/tell me, do you stand by your man?” amidst house beats and digitized funk. Co-vocalist Alexis Taylor says influences came from all over – Madonna, Arthur Russell, and – ready for the floor? – Susan Boyle. The five Brits left out some of the goofiness and quirks heard on 2008’s Made in the Dark, crafting a cohesive album of melancholy electro ballads and Auto-Tune dance floor hits. Though the album lacks some of Hot Chip’s much-welcomed spontaneity, One Life Stand will still be a standby for DJs and partygoers alike. “Thieves in the Night” washes electric guitar growls atop pulsating synth blasts and peppershaker drums, while the slow, gooey harmonies in “Slush” recall doo-wop at its best. It may not be for the commitment-phobic, but it’s definitely for the danceaholic.