Clash Me (Again!)

NOTE: Hi there! I'm going through the backcatalogue and re-publishing all the posts I can find. I'm re-posting them as new articles too just so there is visible content going up. This post is originally from April 2017.

Enjoy,
-CVF

Futura 2000 - Untitled (The Clash)

You'll never guess who has two thumbs and an unhealthy appreciation for a niche electronic sub-genre from the early 2000s. That's right, it's time for another semi-regular installment of Claude goes on about Electroclash. Naturally my first port of call to start the electroclash journey was International Deejay Gigolo, so I got stuck right in with some Fischerspooner. It's been a while since I brought em up, and even then last time I think it was Emerge which everyone knows about (but is still a class tune mind). Much like Miss Kittin's eventual debut with I Com, #1 sways between the dancefloor and more meditative offerings, and the slightly sexy Turn On is a standout.



I've been really diggin' the more punky side of Electroclash these days. Back when I was more about the smooth & sleazy tones of Felix Da Housecat and the like, I inevitably picked up some pieces here and there but it was never really my favourite. Enter Mount Sims, with the fittingly electroclashy titled UltraSex, a rather recent addition to my collection but has quickly become a mainstay. Much like on Felix's Kittenz & Thee Glitz, there's plenty of critique of media and 'Hollywood' (though not as pronounced as on Kittenz). Hollywood Bride doesn't waste time, there's not an intro so much as a short couple of seconds before the whole thing kicks in, Sims himself shows off his vocal prowess quite well here too, a rare non-monotone delivery style in the sea of electroclash (barring the slightly forced Kitsch/Bitch rhymes). Only real complaint is the chorus synth is a bit weak, but every other element is on point so it can slide.



And finally, more ADULT. Like with Mount Sims, I wasn't a huge fan back when I was mega into electroclash, but they've since grown to be one of my all time favourites. I'd by lying if I didn't say that Nicola Kuperus' breed of stoic delivery with just a hint of anxiety wasn't a big part of that. That's not to discount Adam Lee Miller's contributions mind (Hand To Phone has been a near constant in my playlists for more than a decade at this point), the production on Side-Swiped does a fantastic job of complimenting the vocals and creating the dark and slightly unnerving atmosphere, the way the synth effortlessly slides in after the title drop around 1:40 is just fantastic and makes everything feel like it's plunged into slow motion for a second or two.



-Claude Van Foxbat