The album is a dizzying rush of funk basslines, fizzing synths and Alexis Taylor's signature vocal. Hot Chip have always straddled the line between disco and pop and 'In Our Heads' is no exception. Don't Deny Your Heart for example is pure retro pop, with hints of Michael Jackson's Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough, but its funk bass and rhythms are perfect for the dancefloor. Current single Night and Day, meanwhile, is set to be a club classic in addition to the considerable radio airplay it's already received, in addition to the previously heard Flutes.
The album does lack a killer tune akin to Ready For The Floor, but it makes up for this in the overall quality on offer. Song by song, 'In Our Heads' consistently provides high quality production, pop melodies seamlessly integrated into club beats with plenty of hands in the air potential. Even at its slowest, with Look At Where We Are, the production continues to excite with its subtle shifts of instrumentation. Opener Motion Sickness features greater use of live instruments, replicating the band's gig experience on record. These Chains and closer Always Been Your Love provide a more chilled vibe, proving the band have strong variety. The album does sag a little two thirds through, with some of the songs feeling overly long - particularly the intros, even if this is a drawback of the club genre.
However, any flaws are by no means detrimental to the whole. Hot Chip have delivered a solid album of joyous, ecstatic floorfillers that cannot fail to put a smile on your face. The excitement of their earlier albums has given way to an accomplished body of work with consistency of quality. Ignore their dorky image; these guys have delivered some of the coolest pop music of the year.
4/5
Gizzle's Choice:
* Motion Sickness
* Don't Deny Your Heart
* These Chains
Listen: 'In Our Heads' is released on 11th June.
Watch: Hot Chip have a tonne of upcoming worldwide gigs
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