broadcast - tender buttons
third album in a decade from warps premier leftfield pop band. a band who to my disbelief instigate devotion from many. while i enjoyed 'ha ha sound' i didn't totally fall under the bands spell. this time, however, i am smitten. totally. and yes, i realise i have used that word twice in one sentence. sue me.
for this release the band now comprises of just trish (vocals) and james. the new slimline approach has redefined their approach to the creation of pop noise. this time the beats are primarily machine made and ultra thin, they don't rattle and shake the speakers, as much as tick and click, clean melodies are carried along by old rattley analogue synths that goldfrapp would love to be able to hack and crack. sprinkled sparingly there is also a splattering of delicately strummed guitars across these 14 tracks, there is little else to jar the mood, bar a lot of interference noise that makes you check to see if your mobile phone is placed too close to the amplifier and is interacting with the various electronic signals.
the real joy here is of course the oh so sweet vocals by trish, who sounds all serene and other worldly like a 21st century version of nico. songs drift by with welcome ease providing several genuine chill up the spine moments such as the teasingly short krautrock groove of 'bit 35' where the simple riff is so basic and raw but addictive, the electroclash styles of recent single 'america boy', the interaction of trish's declaration of 'michael michael' in 'michael a grammar' before the world melts to the guitar pickings while a distorted synth pretends to be a human league demo.
in fact there's little more to say than : damn i love this album