So, if you haven't heard of Hadouken! I don't blame you. I heard them for the first time in a dingy little club called the Red Room - but even there, off/on my face on tequila, I thought "Hey! This is something I could really dance to! Grgrosdv dvnvnfd grllglg..."
What got me was this kinda hard, 80s, apocalypse wave of sound over which some trashy Brit yelled at me. It was like being bounced to death by hoodied limey youths on a Jumping Castle phonics. Boo. Yah. Try not to bounce your head to this: That Boy That Girl. Plus, the video is fucking awesome...
Obviously I got excited when someone pointed me to their new album the other day. Excited... and nervous. It's fairly common for a bunch of guys to find a sound, raise at, and then smother it with a pillow before its prime. I wasn't expecting much.
Despite the rather leading title, Depeche Mode they aren't. But maybe this is what Martin Gore's wayward children would sound like, had they been raised outside grocery stores. What we have now is a band who have decided to take what they do seriously, without taking themselves the same way. The production is better. The writing is better. Ah, fuck it - it's just fucking power. I always find think it's a sign of for electronic music if you start directing Chris Cunningham-esque videos in your mind.
As far as consistency goes, it still sound a little like they can't decide which genre they want to party with. If we looked down at the dance floor that is the musical world of Hadouken!, we'd see Goldie grinding in the back with Liam Howlett. The boys from Pendulum would be throwing out tequila shots. Daft Punk would be doing coke off each others' helmets. And, every now and then, you'd see Robert Miles (that cunt who gave us the 1000 synth nightmares of 'Children' bopping his giant centipede eyebrows in the middle of the girl-only groups, hoping someone rubs against his penis.
But, what a party! I challenge anyone to not put their necks out of joint and their cars through a wall at 140km/h listening to 'Mic Check' at illegal levels. Or to try not do the 'Ooohoohohoohoh' bit at the top of their lungs at the start of 'Rebirth' before shrinking their ears into their shoulders and trying to rap the rather aggressive singy bits.
Where they've gained depth musically, they've lost some verbally. The lyrics are fairly repetitive - more like football chants than actual songs - and cover topics that wouldn't stimulate the synapses of anyone other than a gang of liquored little thugs, huddled around a PacMan machine, waiting for their mums, and giving the finger to housewives.
One word of warning - their is a little bit of autotune. Which is inexcusable for anyone. I don't give a fuck of you're Blue 52 or Kanye West. If you use that fucking voice box shit, you're a mean and nasty human being, and your talent is now in question.
But don't let that turn you off. It's only on the last track, and it's not great anyway.
Overall, I doubt there's anything better to listen to on the way out to a good party. The only downside is the disappointment when you realise the DJ isn't playing it. All night. On repeat. I suggest you make him. Yeeeeeee, boi!


I haven't enjoyed 
I'm dying to hear the new
I first heard
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