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Hot Chip - Hot Chip With Robert Wyatt and Geese
| Pitchfork |
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On a ranked list of unlikely collaborations, Hot Chip and Robert Wyatt would probably place just above the Decemberists and Hinder, just below Philip Glass and DJ Drama. The mystery isn't why Hot Chip would jump at the chance to work with Wyatt, an avant-music elder statesman since founding the seminal prog-rock band Soft Machine 40-odd years ago, but why Wyatt, who's collaborated with established titans like Brian Eno and David Gilmour, would be interested in a young and (relatively) untested electro-soul band. They even look odd together-- Wyatt with his wild white mane and beard, Hot Chip with their cable-knit sweaters and chunky glasses. It's as if mighty Zeus split open Cronus' stomach and released a gaggle of nerdy-chic reference librarians. But it makes perfect sense once you hear the music. On a pragmatic note, this EP came about simply: Hot Chip remixed Wyatt's patricianly funky song "This Summer Night" (a collaboration with Bertrand Burgalat) as a minimal electro seether. They contacted Wyatt, who liked the remix, and asked him if he'd like to cover any of their songs. Wyatt chose four, and entered the studio with Hot Chip to record new versions of three. The fourth, "One Pure Thought", was remixed by Geese, which comprises two members of Elysian Quartet, who also lend imperious strings to the "We're Looking for a Lot of Love" cover. On the aesthetic end, Wyatt's voice (he duets with Alexis Taylor on "Whistle for Will" and "We're Looking for a Lot of Love", and provides off-kilter vocal architecture elsewhere) has a soft-bellied vulnerability to rival Taylor's, and his accessible out-music touches breathe new life into Hot Chip's arrangements....full text |
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| Prefixmag |
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Prog-rock legend Robert Wyatt and Geese (two members of the Elysian Quartet) join Hot Chip on Hot Chip with Robert Wyatt and Geese, a victory lap of sorts to the band’s 2008, which included the release of their well-received third LP, Made in the Dark, and sets at major festivals like Coachella. While the EP is largely superfluous, and is meant as a fan-friendly set (it’s only available at Think Indie record stores), there are certain bemefits gained by letting Wyatt and Geese have their way with four of Made in the Dark’s tracks. “We’re Looking for a Lot of Love” benefits most from the reworking. The original was a bit of a slow, sentimental mess sandwiched in between two dance numbers. The new version (remixed by Geese, and featuring lilting vocals from Wyatt) plays like Hot Chip’s slow jam -- a song that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a late-‘90s R&B mixtape....full text |
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| Type3media |
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This is one of the more interesting EPs I’ve listened to in quite a while. The electropop outfit Hot Chip already has quite a few re-mix recordings under their belt, so their fans are accustomed to a continuing state of experimentation. To further drive that point, they enlisted progressive rock and experimental music icon Robert Wyatt, who appears on three tracks. This EP hits you right away with new rendition of the off-tempo song “Made In The Dark.” The song includes the jaw harp as it’s new focus, seemingly holding equal weight with the vocals at times. The harmonies and other instrumentation can be rather dissonant and haunting, a trait carried throughout the EP. “One Pure Thought” is largely unrecognizable from the album version except for the vocals. I think it’s a rather brilliant interpretation. The first three tracks move at a very methodical pace, but this songs picks it up and creates a plucky, energetic, and chaotic sonic landscape....full text |
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