Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Sometimes I really hate doing this. I can only hope for a better selection tomorrow. Why is this here? WHY?!
Dull dull dull
Even after over 800 albums I love that I'm finding some hidden gems. This album is funky in all the right ways, and somehow reminds me of Gotye. I can't wait to listen to this again!
This is an album you sit and actually listen to. Good stuff and an album that keeps your toes tapping
Favorite Track: Let Me Be Him
This is the album James Murphy could make if he wasn't addicted to sniffing his own farts
300/1089 halfway through the first song and i’m SO into this so far omg okay it took a bit of a left turn and i still like it but it’s a bit more on the quirky side than i was expecting Flutes is excellent overall a really great album, i think it could’ve been a bit better if it had taken more from Motion Sickness etc but this js a bit of me faves: Motion Sickness, Flutes, Ends of the Earth, These Chains 83/100
Really good sound and lyrics
J'ai un biais avec Hot Chip, la moitié des écoutes de Flutes sur Spotify doivent surement venir de moi
Wow. Have completely missed this band. Such great bland of electronica and rock. Love the heavy synthesizers and the beautiful song melodies!
eminently danceable, and i seriously wish i was because this is great! i tend to have an allergic reaction to a lot of early 2010s edm, but the funk and disco inspirations here are just lovely. i can't really see how it's that influential of a record, given the stated goal of this list, but i really enjoyed the upbeat romanticism across this album. the complexity of the rhythms across tracks like "flutes", "night and day", or "ends of the earth" tickle my brain in all the right ways. it's electrifying. pretty much start to finish this is fantastic.
Wonderful techno funk I loved it
amazing
não esperava nada e entregou td. 10/10
Fuck, these guys are geniuses
I enjoyed the production value of this album. This was a new genre, but I am excited to hear more.
I’m higher than a 5, but I don’t think I’m QUITE at a 10. I’m shockingly close though. I had a feeling this would be a little more unique than “synthpop” of the early 2010s would describe, but I wasn’t expecting to feel that enthralled by all of the tracks here. This is masterfully done stuff, updating the production styles of the 1980s with more modernized synths, blending them with a touch of William Orbit-esque electronica, & coating them in a similar sort of paint as MGMT. All together, it creates an eclectic type of indie rock that I’ve never really heard come out of this era, & while some may dismiss it as overly derivative, I think it’s just catchy as a motherfucker, man. I dreaded this album’s length going into it, but the way each soundscape builds up & naturally progresses over time makes these tracks fly by far quicker than expected, making the 57 minute runtime here feel half as long. A lot of that comes down to two things: really strong instrumentation (duh), & a really good vocal performance, complimented by some well-written lyrics across the board here. These aren’t flowery, thankfully; they’re just there to capture the mood, with some occasionally really strong lines that just sell the track as fruitfully as possible. “Ends of the Earth”, for example, has the line “I just want you to feel the belief of a man”, and that struck me REALLY nicely. Not the touch, not the love, not anything else – just the BELIEF alone should be enough of a plea to bring back this relationship, and it sells the slightly somber & desperate tone of the track just as much as the synths do. This album is scattered with lines like that, but this album works just as well if you don’t catch a single one of them, mostly because the instrumentals are THAT damn good. Granted, I wouldn’t say this album has one specific super standout track (though “Don’t Deny Your Heart” comes damn close), & I do think that lack of a really timeless track that stands on its own merits, without feeling like a throwback, is what’s keeping me from going at a full blown 10 here. It makes up for that by being at a really consistently high bar of quality, and one that it never goes lower than an inch from. Believe me, this is a great album. I think it’s the only album where comparisons to Portal 2, Fatboy Slim, William Orbit, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan, the Pet Shop Boys, Justin Timberlake, Prince, Capital Cities, the Beatles, Porter Robinson, Lionel Richie, Hall & Oates, the Police & Steely Dan are somehow all warranted at the same time. Yes, I did somehow write down references to all of those artists while listening, which isn’t really doing wonders for the whole “derivative” thing, but I think it says something that they were able to capture all of those vibes at points throughout the album. It’s got great variety behind it, and that variety keeps the album a lot fresher than it has any right to be. I think it’s wonderfully produced, composed & performed. I’m really glad it’s on the list, because I don’t think I would’ve ever found it otherwise. It’s certainly higher than a 5, and hell, maybe one day, one of these tracks will feel “timeless” enough to me to bump it up to a 10. I really, really enjoyed this one.
I've heard some of Hot Chip's later stuff and had their two most popular songs on my Liked songs playlist, but I had never listened to an album all of the way through. I'm so glad that I did! This is the kind of music that touches all of the things I love: pop, beats, electronic sounds, random bird noises, thoughtful and repetitive lyrics. Dopamine hit after dopamine hit. I added a bunch of songs to various playlists so I can listen to them Over and Over and Over and Over.
Looking at the album genre on the Wikipedia I was excited to give this one a listen. This album absolutely blew away all of my expectations of excitement going into it. I think this has become my favorite type of music over the last couple of years especially recently with the introduction of LCD Soundsystem. Every song on here was just an absolute bop. Definitely knew Let Me Be Him, that backing vocal chanting noise is so memorable. Adding this band to my Must Listen to More of List and this album is a slam dunk 5 from the beginning to end.
Motion Sickness, Look At Where We Are, Flutes, Let Me Be Him
For me, Hot Chip is a band that I really can't choose a favourite album or song, I just love all their moments. "In Our Heads" is probably their peak before switching gears in "Why Make Sense", and it's just SO GOOD. It was really emotional for me hearing it again after some time, I think this was their first full album I heard.
Solid 8, very consistently good Xylophone on track 8 went very hard
Brilliant, synth pop as it’s meant to be, one of my favourite albums.
Strong start, love me some synthetic pop Motion Sickness into , How do you do? into Don't Deny Your Heart. Building up to Look at where we are. Almost as good as it gets Proper enjoyed all the songs on the first half Night and day got me shmoovin' This album is banging, Not Sure I can fault anything on it and basicaly every single song is awesome and went straight on my playlist. So not sure I can give it anything other than 5 stars for that
feel like the other post 2000s albums have been mostly let downs but I liked this. Maybe 5 is generous but whatever
Look I'm biased but I've loved these guys for a while now and seen them twice. A synth jam band is a funny concept but they pull it off. Glad this was on here and surprised it's on the lower end of scores - come on not everything has to be guitar-driven or moody dreck from the 1970s. Standout tracks: Night and Day, Flutes
I admit it. I'm a synthoholic. I'm completely incapable of suspending my bias when it comes to this genre. However, there is something about this particular album that feels off. Like I'm being sold a packaged product instead of enjoying authentic art. Just about everything this does was done better by someone else decades earlier (and seriously, some parts are straight-up ripped from other artists like Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, Erasure, and even Kate Bush). I suppose, therefore, one could postulate that these were the acts that were "in their heads" when they made this album. Outside of that context, it was a pleasant enough experience, though. It's just super unfortunate that I couldn't shake the feeling that I was hearing weak, phantasmal echos of things I'd rather be listening to. A disappointing feeling to have but have it I did. So, now how do I rate this? Part of me wants to give this a 5 since it IS something I would (and probably will) add to my personal library (something I can't say about most of the other entries in this challenge), but another part of me wants to penalize it for breaking the 8th commandment. Meh. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone and all that, right?
This was a great vibe. Lots is pop influences. Light enough on the electronic that it didn’t test my patience. Never heard of this band, but I am willing to explore more from them. Bonus points that the algorithm on Spotify after the album ends is solid too.
What a nice surprise! Love this era of electronic music. Catchy beats all throughout and a super easy listen. 8/10.
This was an absolute tonic. Great album. I have their three that precede this and have somehow managed to go without listening to this. 'Flutes' is a gem, and was blasted with rattling bass in the car. Already purchased for my CD collection before the day is done. Still holds that mix of party and raw heartfelt emotion that all hot chip albums seem to.
The British (and better?) lcd soundsystem
This was a really nice surprise. I had heard of Hot Chip, though based on the description of their sound and this album I didn't think I would like their music. I was very wrong and it was a nice break from the bullshit hippie music I had over the last two days. They remind me a little bit of Tame Impala and strike a chord for me as danceable (though, I don't dance) indie-pop music. The first four songs are incredibly catchy and I don't even mind the length of the last two songs, Let Me Be Him and Always Been Your Love. It is nice to get surprises on this project and this was a very pleasant surprise. This isn't necessarily very deep music, but it is fun music and something I enjoy listening to.
Actually very fun. The band’s vibe gives kinda like One Republic/Mice and Men vibes. Every man looks like some character actor. The music is also sorta a funkier Of Mice and Men. I’d say the songs kind of all blend together, but not in a bad way
What a totally killer electronic album. Flûtes and Ends Of The Earth are two stellar tracks. The closer is a really strong one as well
listening in car with rear speakers, on a cloudy day.
Seriously great britpop/indie/electronic (?) album. I listened to a bit of Hot Chip growing up but never this album. The track Look At Where We Are is so good, I listened to it at least 3 times. I'll definitely be blasting their whole discography. 5 stars for me.
Well it's an absolute belter isn't it. Hot Chip are grand as they come. DON'T DENY YOUR HEART
This contains my favourite Hot Chip song, Flutes, and Hot Chip are one of my favourite bands so has to be 5! HOT POTATO, HOT POTATO!!
For some reason I lost interest in Hot Chip after One Life Stand, but In Our Heads really good as well. It took a few listens, but even the songs I wasn't sure about initially turned out to be pretty strong.
This album, as well as Why Make Sense, represents to me the best of the music taste my brothers passed down to me. They showed me much of what I came to enjoy, and I associate each of these albums with them for different reasons. Current #25 of all time. Thanks, bros.
I don’t really agree with the classification of In Hour Heads, by Hot Chip, as electronica. Yes, those sweet synths and and beeps are there, but the album has a sort of rock indie taste in as well, a little pop. That’s why I feel like I like it so much. From the jump, with Motion Sickness, it feels like this grand opening to a movie song, with compelling instrumentals and perfect cadence. The next 5 songs go on to be equally as good, with How Do You Do? being one of my favorite electronic songs ever. I’m looking forward to more music like this, as this is probably the most versatile and diverse album this project has taken me to. All in all, In Our Heads Is an amazing album. Best Song: How Do You Do? Worst Song: Let Me Be Him
Great album that somehow passed me by. I only knew 1 of the tracks from before. Will be listening again
I was miffed the album with Over and Over wasn’t on this list. I owned that album in the 2000s. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Seems like a cool record to put on to impress people with your indie cred.
Really enjoyed this entire LP Gave my new Subwoofer a good workout
Never heard of these guys… I really enjoyed this album. Good chill songs
Certain albums I already have in my record collection, and this one is WELL WORN. Hot Chip are a collection of gearheads with encyclopedic knowledge of music and channel it into this blend of live house music with pop structures. Beyond that, for a band that came out of the "indie-sleaze" era, these well-written songs have an amazing balance of equal parts heart and humor. This one takes me back and I'll always keep circling back to Hot Chip, and this is one of their finest and most cohesive of their catalogue.
LOVE IT
I can’t stop listening to it, so easy and relaxed
Ambient, funky, poppy, whimsical, sad lyrics
Yeahhhhhh 🙌🏼
One of the best of the decade.
Awesome vibes.
Excellent album! Forgot how much I like these guys. Every song was great. I’ve been skipping over them on shuffle lately but they’re an awesome band
A classic 2010s album. Some real bangers on this one.
Solid follow up from Hot Chip
The hipster band it's ok to like.
Oh man! I went in for some reason thinking this was a 90s act, then when the thing got going I was like "wow this sounds like something straight out of 2011". And then here we are! Really pleasant surprise, wasn't expecting danceable indie-pop + adjacent to get representation on here. no less dated than the 90s electronica, but it's dated to an era that I actually got some nostalgia for, dammit
Boppy, hot chip is great for a bit of funky, chill listening with great beat, fun vocals. Each track is pretty great with no real weak ones.
sweet treat time
nice
I've listened to Hot Chip a little ("Ready For the Floor"'s cool video was on my iPod video back in the day), but never dove super deep in. It has always amazed me these five, accountant-looking British guys can make legitimately great dance music. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this album; it sounds like a killer remix album for an already-killer pop album. I think it stumbles once or twice ("Now There Is Nothing", and how do you not use "Let Me Be Him" as the closer?), so I'd call this a 4.5. I'm rounding up due to the fact I threw it back on once I had finished, which hasn't happened frequently on this list. Favorite tracks: "These Chains", "Night And Day", "Flutes", "How Do You Do?"
Great album.
Unexpectedly loved it. Maybe because I was getting soaked by rain on my bike while listening and it somehow made me less grumpy about it
Never heard of this guys, love the album, I'm now a fan
So stoked this is on the list. One of the greatest albums of the 21st century. Fond memories of waking Mit around Norman Park on Friday arvo with a beer in hand and this on the iPod. Start to finish perfection.
Love it! Where has this been? How did I not know about this? I can't stop listening! Night and Day. <3
This is incredible, so original and funky
Why have I never heard of Hot Chip before?!
Look at where we are is a beautiful song, and it is surrounded by a vast array of energies, each presented in sometimes chaotic, sometimes soothing electronic sounds.
It's so good
Had geen idee wat te verwachten. En dit album bleef nummer na nummer verrassen. Ik werd er zowaar erg vrolijk van. Toffe ontdekking!
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Motion Sickness, Look At Where We Are, Flutes Synth pop is not normally something I go in for. I think just a few albums ago I skewered some other heavy synth music, and certainly over the course of nearly 500 albums, I've not rated electronica music too highly, despite enjoying certain sub-genres immensely (downtempo, soft trap, acid crunk). For this album, it has some really strong catchy tunes, but also several misses. The front half of the album is better. I am finding that generally the lyrics don't always make a ton of sense (or I am fundamentally misunderstanding something). On Motion Sickness, the claim? that we once thought (past tense) the world was round.... It is round. Very round. To suggest otherwise is dumb. On the second song, how does someone make someone else want to live... again? Certainly, making someone want to live is a good thing, but to live again would imply dying and then coming back to life. I am clearly missing something, whether symbolism, hyperbole or metaphor. In any event, if I ignore the lyrics and focus mostly on the music, I can get on board with this. I would certainly put some of these songs on a playlist, and for that to be true, the album has to be a 4 for me.
Quite enjoyable. Nice relaxing electro-pop with some mild lyrics to bob my head to while I do office work. It's not exactly groundbreaking or experimental, but I still had a good time.
Weeeeoooo!!!! Weeeeeooo!!! someone sound the alarm, this is your reminder to watch the “I Feel Better” music video. GOD I FUCKING LOVE HOT CHIP!!! This lil micro era of electronic pop that included bands like LCD Soundsytem, Hotchip, Yeasayer, and MGMT is one of my favorites. Something about millennial dorks making dance music is so soothing to my soul. Okay but anyway, yes, we’re talking about this album. The production on it is so damn cleeeeaaan, there isn’t a single sound that isn’t given enough space to contribute to the overall sound, each note feels so deliberate and serves the beat without stepping on anybody’s lines. “Flutes” is a great example of this, that song keeps building on top of that beat and I never feel a single part of it slip from my focus. N’ I mean cmooooon, this album is so fun. Truly, if you are not dancing, tapping your toes, or singing along while listening to this album you’re letting it be lowered by a letter grade. 4.5 STARS! GOLD MEDAL! PROUD OF YOU BOYS Okay but it’s crazy that “The Warning” wasn’t the Hot Chip album chosen.
어우 듣기 좋아
It was okay to listen to not my favorite
I like Hot Chip. Always have. I would say that in my view The Warning is a better album as it really introduced the group to a wider audience and has some absolute classics from the group on there. This is a good album and shows that they’ve really hit their stride as a group, but it doesn’t have the breakthrough relevance of The Warning.
Fun little album, but I don't remember a single thing from it
01) Motion Sickness - 9,0 02) How Do You Do? - 8,5 03) Don't Deny Your Heart - 8,5 04) Look at Where We Are - 8,5 05) These Chains - 8,0 06) Night & Day - 9,0 07) Flutes - 9,0 08) Now There Is Nothing - 8,5 09) Ends of the Earth - 8,5 10) Let Me Be Him - 9,0 11) Always Been Your Love - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,64 (86/100) Current ranking: 132/943
Very nice.
Very fun and amazing album. Its vibes feel well placed and spread along the record, it's feel good all the way. Glad I heard it now.
I know Hot Chip isn’t for everyone. I think you could make strong arguments that they don’t belong on the 1001 list at all. But what I don’t understand is why this album is on the list instead of The Warning. The only really notable thing about this one is it incorporates more house into their usual style.
I've seen Hot Chip a few times and know them pretty well, but this was my first full listen to an album, I believe. Better than expected and I figured it'd be pretty good. Most Hot Chip songs to me have 4 of 5 things working for it but doesn't quite all the way. This one had several 100%-ers and enjoyed the creativity overall.
Felt very worth my while. Upbeat
Pretty fun
Not the Hot Chip album _I_ would have chosen, but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless.
4/5
I liked that it was experimental and some songs were actually really good but some were admittedly hot ass
Hot chip: good for eating and good for dancing!!! Really really liked this one
I listen to Hot Chip quite a bit and enjoy them a lot. This wouldn't be my choice for their one album on the list but, like everything they do, it's still good.
News to me, real nice!
Basement Jaxx at home:
I’ve never heard of this band before, which is a shame. Loved nearly every single album cover of theirs, actually. And music is nice. Simple enough to not be overwhelming, interesting enough to not be boring. Surely it’s very much inspired by 80s, but it was a great time for music. Probably not the most exciting album I’ve ever heard, though I did add a couple of songs to my playlist.
Really glad to have heard this, super unique sound and fun to listen to. Favorite track: Now There is Nothing
1001 albums to hear before you eat a hot chip 85# some goofy (night and day) catchy, danceable and really well produced, assemble of songs. I didn't expect this to surprise me at all, but i had a blast. Nothing deep, just dance to it when shoving your teeth, yeah, shove your teeth please, it's not the best breath you have.. am this is embarrassing. Go on, go shove it to hot chip.
moody pop-dance
Different and fun
Yeah this was catchy, what's not to like?
I believe Hot Chip was the name of a middle school group chat I had. Anyway, time for this album. Motion sickness actually had quite a nice groove to it that I didn’t expect going into it. How do you do was really funky! Don’t deny your heart had me dancing! I don’t expect this kind of album from a 2012 release, but it’s honestly cool. Look at where we are had a slightly different feel, maybe slightly R&B, but I thought it was a good addition. These Chains were back to being chill, yet dancey. Flutes was awesome. Thought it was a great long track. Now there is nothing was quite nice and reflective. Ends of the earth had some really cool synth going on. Though long, let me be him had a really good vibe going for it! Always been your love was a great closer. I loved this album! Thought it was super cool. 4/5 ⭐️ 112/1089
Reminds me of Kushion (I don’t think any of these songs existed when I was last in Kushion but they did love Hit Chips and soft electronica in there) Really enjoyed it. Night and Day bring the highlight.
Interestingly
Really cool and I enjoyed it a lot, but I'm not sure it's the best option to represent this band.
This was a new discovery for me. I had never heard of these people. It honestly is a lovely little pop dance album. A bit of fluff that I’m not sure I’ll remember for long, but quite an enjoyable listen. Reminds me a bit of the Bee-Gees, although without the harmonizing. But the same sort of lightweight dance feel.
I don't think I gave this album enough of a chance when it came out. I probably thought they were on a downward slide after the heights of Over and Over. This is a really solid album. It's a rare thing for an electronic album to have such little filler. One or two more memorable tracks short of a 5 though.
# In-Depth Review: Hot Chip - *In Our Heads* (2012) ## Overview Released in June 2012 on Domino Records, *In Our Heads* represents Hot Chip's fifth studio album and their first release after departing EMI. The album captures the band at a pivotal moment—transitioning from quirky electro-pop upstarts to mature, confident purveyors of sophisticated dance music. It builds upon the foundation laid by 2010's acclaimed *One Life Stand* while pushing their sound into more expansive, emotionally resonant territory. --- ## Lyrics & Themes ### Domestic Bliss and Mature Romance Hot Chip have carved out a unique niche in dance music: songs about the pleasures of monogamy and domestic contentment. As one critic noted, "almost uniquely in the world of dance music—not a genre famed for its way with a lyric about how nice it is being married—Hot Chip have a winning line in songs about the pleasures of domesticity" . The lyrics throughout *In Our Heads* explore: - **Long-term commitment**: "Look at Where We Are" functions as both a relationship meditation and a reflection on the band's journey, with Alexis Taylor singing "Look at where we are / Remember where we started out" - **Celebration of life**: "How Do You Do?" transforms into a paean to finding joy in existence itself—"You make me wanna live again... A church is not for praying / it's for celebrating the light that shines through the pain" - **Romantic idealism**: "Let Me Be Him" captures "the essence of yearning for the girl of one's dreams" across its nearly eight-minute runtime ### Self-Aware Humor and References The band maintains their characteristic wit. "Night and Day" features a spoken-word bridge where Taylor adopts a DJ's persona, deadpanning: "I've just lined up Macca—we're not in Ayia Napa. Do I look like a rapper?" This self-deprecating humor acknowledges the disparity between their middle-class Englishness and the hip-hop influences they admire. The album title itself suggests introspection—music that exists "in our heads" rather than purely for the club, emphasizing Hot Chip's identity as "students of pop music" who process their vast record collections through their own distinctive filter . --- ## Music & Production ### Sonic Architecture The album showcases a sophisticated blend of influences: | Element | Description | |---------|-------------| | **Chicago/Detroit House** | Tracks like "How Do You Do?" and "Let Me Be Him" embrace classic house structures with modern production | | **1980s Pop** | "Don't Deny Your Heart" channels glossy '80s R&B with "kitsch electro piano" and falsetto vocals | | **Indie Sensibilities** | The band retains their Yo La Tengo-esque appreciation for pop craftsmanship | | **Orchestral Elements** | "Motion Sickness" opens with "big, stomping brass" and "wispy synth" creating an epic, building atmosphere | ### The Goddard-Taylor Dynamic The album highlights the complementary strengths of the band's two primary songwriters: - **Joe Goddard** brings the dancefloor energy—the "feet" of the operation. His side projects (like The 2 Bears) inform tracks such as "These Chains" with their "arms-aloft Chicago House sounds" - **Alexis Taylor** provides the emotional core—the "head" of the operation. His "soulfully low-key vocals" pay tribute to Phil Spector's wall-of-sound romanticism ### Sampling and Experimentation This album marked a shift toward sampling, which hadn't been a major part of their previous work. "Need You Now" began when Goddard discovered an a cappella record by Sinnamon in a São Paulo shop, building the instrumental around the sample . The band also explored hip-hop production influences more explicitly than on previous records. --- ## Standout Tracks ### "Flutes" The centerpiece and creative peak of the album. Described as "Arthur Russell rewriting 'Frère Jacques,'" it features "icy synths rising and falling below a round-robin melody" . The track builds slowly before an "almighty crescendo" transforms it into one of their finest moments . ### "Motion Sickness" The opener establishes the album's scope immediately with its "tuba pomp" and "arpeggiating synth" . It sets the template for many tracks: slow-building first halves giving way to euphoric conclusions . ### "Night and Day" The lead single serves as an "anti-anthem"—bombastic yet strange, with multiple choruses and that memorable spoken-word bridge. It's "harsher and more bombastic than the band's usual fare" . ### "Let Me Be Him" A nearly eight-minute epic that "takes Detroit House to church," featuring Hawaiian slide guitar and a hazy, drug-referencing outro that recalls The Beta Band . --- ## Influence and Legacy ### Critical Standing *In Our Heads* cemented Hot Chip's position alongside New Order and Pet Shop Boys as "one of this country's finest experimental electro-pop acts of the past few decades" . The album demonstrated that electronic music could accommodate sincere emotional content without sacrificing dancefloor functionality. ### Artistic Impact The album influenced subsequent indie-electronic artists by proving that: - Dance music could accommodate mature, relationship-focused lyrics - Retro influences (house, '80s pop) could be synthesized into contemporary sounds without mere pastiche - Album sequencing and pacing mattered even in electronic music The record also anticipated the wave of "yacht rock" revivalism and sophisticated pop that would follow from artists like Metronomy and Phoenix . --- ## Pros and Cons ### Strengths | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Consistency** | Arguably their most coherent album to date, with "every song radio-ready" meaning "every song is good" | | **Emotional Depth** | Successfully balances dancefloor urgency with sincere romantic lyricism | | **Production Polish** | Mature, confident sound that knows when to restrain and when to explode | | **Sequencing** | Expertly structured with strong opening and closing trios | | **Vocal Confidence** | Goddard's voice has "far more confident" presence; Taylor's delivery is more assured than ever | ### Weaknesses | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Occasional Overreach** | "Can a band have too many ideas? Yes"—tracks like "Don't Deny Your Heart" and "Now There Is Nothing" stray into "familiar overreaching, archness even" | | **Length** | At 57 minutes, some tracks ("Ends of the Earth," "Let Me Be Him") can feel protracted | | **Derivative Moments** | Some critics note the album risks being "overly derivative" with its many obvious influences | | **Inconsistent Energy** | "Night and Day" initially felt "cheap" compared to "Flutes," and the album has "moments of relative drag" | --- ## Conclusion *In Our Heads* represents Hot Chip operating at peak confidence. While it may not represent a radical departure from *One Life Stand*, it refines their formula into something more consistent and emotionally resonant. The album succeeds by embracing contradiction: it's dance music for thinking, music for clubs that works best in private contemplation, retro in influence yet contemporary in execution. The record suggests that Hot Chip's "masterpiece is still forthcoming" , but as a document of a band comfortable in their own skin—no longer the novelty act some dismissed them as in 2004—it's a significant achievement. For listeners seeking electronic music with heart, wit, and genuine emotional substance, *In Our Heads* remains essential listening.
2010s electronica. Lovely, bright and poppy. Very light electronica.
Got this on vinyl by accident way back when from Vinyl Me Please. Never spent much time with it, but really good! 2010s indie version of Fleetwood Mac 70s pop meets Off The Wall/Thriller MJ. Even the Japanese bonus tracks are really good!
Good stuff
Familiar with Hot Chip! But not with this album. This gave Talking heads vibes, but like more modern and more electronic pop than Talking Heads. They both just have this oddly quirky vibe to them, and sometimes they get too quirky to the point whete the music becomes not great lol. The song Day & Night gave those vibes to me... skipped on my 2nd and 3rd listen through. Solid otherwise! Let me Be Him was my fave on the album. 8/10
Dancey and fun and really takes me back to being young and carefree in the 2010s. More of a solid 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it but does not feel the most definitive of that time period to me.
Un grupo de nivel y además con una carrera muy coherente, al regazo de nada menos que James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem). Pop de muchos quilates, house, synth-pop, electro e incluso R&B y sobre todo bien empleado y facturado. Motion Sickness es la canción que más me gusta, no solo del disco sino de ellos (ni Over And Over ni Ready For The Floor). How do you do? es pop con mayúsculas, al nivel de Pet Shop Boys. Otro sencillo, como Night & Day (este no me gusta nada, pero es un tema bastante bueno), fue Don´t deny your heart , con claras reminiscencias horteras y ochenteras (Vince Clarck , sin duda) que es lo que tendría que haber estado haciendo Madonna para seguir siendo relevante. These chains es muy, muy buena, con ecos de Arthur Russell y de los mejores PSB. Sigue la racha con Flutes, de lo mejor del álbum. En Now There Is Nothing pueden verse las influencias de un Paul McCartney más indietrónico (las de McCartney II). Ends of the Earth subre revoluciones de un modo muy interesante, y Let be him es otro gran tema. Cierran con Alway been your love, que no me convence demasiado. Si no es este disco que sea Made in the Dark o su grandes éxitos: Joy In Repetition
I was kind of drifting on this one at first, then “These Chains” came on and turned the whole album around for me. That was the point where it finally grabbed me. Before that I was starting to lose interest a little. “Night and Day” was a banger too. A lot of the album has that glossy electronic sound that reminded me of stuff you would hear on A State of Trance, which helped once it got rolling. Favorite song: "Night and Day"
Kind of liked it
This was a lot more fun and interesting than I was expecting it kind of had an indie EDM mashup vibe. That’s actually right up my alley and I very much appreciated it. I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting.
Good production and vibes. Lyrically weak. Similar to tame impala. Few weaker songs. Flutes was my favourite
The first Hot Chip album I didn't buy when it came out. There was no particular reason, so interested in hearing this. Yes, it is very good. Lacks some of the more immediately satisfying tracks from the previous albums. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Some Owned: No 58/233 (24%) Will I get:
Fun!
awesome
I think its slightly unfair for me to rate this one - I'm a huge Hot Chip fan. I don't think this is their best work, but this album summarises the band the best out of anything else. Great work boys, keep it up x
This was pretty good. I'd never heard of them before this album popped up in the list. I found myself enjoying most of it. Kinda what I was hoping a lot of the albums on this list were gonna be...new music to me that I liked.....unfortunately it's rare that something like that happens!
Not their best Album, but a solid Indie-Dance record. Not a Great great fan of the Voice and some synths. Fav: Flutes
I was distinctly unimpressed on first listen but this really grew on me second time round. I think it benefitted from a louder volume and a bigger space, gave the music more room to shine I guess. I enjoyed it but nothing particularly stood out. A grower. 3.5 rounding up because I’m having a bad run lately
# Album Name: In our heads # Artist: Hot chip # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Some nice electronic-synth vibes. Not quite sure why its on the list tbh though. # Top Tunes: Moption sickness / how do you do / where we are / flutes / end of the eart # Would I listen to it again? Yes
3.75 Great for running and completing tasks
Rv
całkiem zacne. Na 4.
Wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but it's groovy. I'll definitely be listening to more of their albums. I'll give this a 4.
I read electronic music in the description and instantly went in hating it…. To my surprise I low key loved it. Great album to be productive too.
This was thoroughly enjoyable.
This was some good fun
Freitagmorgen-Aufwach-Backgroundmusik. Als solche nicht schlecht.
A begrudging 4 - I really liked some songs! Generally not well-made as an album, however.
Superb
Very fun very neat i see myself listening to this lots
New to me and seems to be heavily influenced by 80s synth-pop. Yet it feels a bit over-produced. Still likeable.
Fun
I enjoyed this a lot. I enjoyed the balance between good beats that were catchy but chill. Way better than I thought it would be. Might listen again.
A curious mix of house, 90s dance and introspection, more often than not this works very well. The album undulates from house-influenced examples of sophisticated layering, to introspective or quasi-cheesy tracks. Ignoring the Calvin Harris-presaging 'These Chains', I was rather taken with it. A very strong outing from the lads.
7/10
Not every track's a winner but the bangers are bangers
Flumes makes me want to abuse my body. When they're good, they're amazing. Cba with a lot of the slower stuff
Now we're talking! Some of this album is undoubtedly crap, but the good tunes are some of the best electronic pop music ever committed to record. Night and Day makes me yearn for my twenties, Flutes makes me want to consume enough MDMA to permanently alter the global economy
I like this album a lot more than I really probably should especially for a modern synth pop. Honestly when this album first started I thought I was going to be writing it a bit higher than were it landed. The first three songs I absolutely enjoyed. But it seemed to be somewhat diminishing returns from there on, but it never actually really fell off the cliff it just kind of chilled on the fire just a bit. This is definitely one of those where the more '80s it sounded the more I liked it. Some of the songs give me a great Erasure feel and some almost like a happier Depeche Mode feel not necessarily the Vince Clark era, but like a cheerier Gahan & Gore Compsition. (8.5) ★★★★
Doesn’t have any all-timer bangers the size of Over & Over, Boy From School or Ready For The Floor but this is still very much something of a Hot Chippy tour de force. Kind of a New Order Technique situation where there is no one true classic essential song of theirs but it’s still the band in their virtual prime and might even be their most consistently ace n slappin’ throughout. Starts off in perfect epic fashion with Motion Sickness which is a cool whacky epic opener that has whirring high-pitched Bugs Bunny bibidbidi lip noises that give way at the end like the sirens in Karma Police. Don’t Deny Your Heart is super strong day glo 80s pop with yummy and intense Steve Winwood Valerie/Scritti Politti flavours. Lead single Night And Day is a mega skewiffy acid-drenched dance barnstormer that sounds like a wonky Moloko with reconstituted vocal bits from Sing It Back and Day For Night. Let Me Be Him is the penultimate song and a worthy pinnacle of the album - very towering and anthemic and soundwise has future echos of Head Full Of Dreams era Coldplay. Overall, album’s a very good ‘un. Definitely belongs in a list of 1001 Chips To Check Out Before You Die along with Fish n Chips, Goodbye Mr Chips, Biff, Chip & Kipper, Mr Chips from Catchphrase, Kettle Chips and Chip’s Challenge.
Not as good as the warning but an enjoyable listen
Groovy stuff on this one. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
Hot chip have always been one I felt like I should give some time so glad this came up, lovely listen
I was teetering between a 3 and a 4 for this one, but went with a 4 because I kept finding myself moving to the music while I was listening. This album was the perfect fusion of indie and electronic, I found it to be pretty ear-catching. The good moments on this album were fantastic, but there were a couple lulls for me in the middle of the album.
Remember When People Thought The World Was Round? 1001 Albums Generator 215 (1/28/2025) In Our Heads is an album I have never heard of from a band that I have never heard of. Honestly, the band name Hot Chip had me a bit worried, but these worries were distilled quite quickly as Motion Sickness started. This is indietronica with heavy emphasis on the -tronica. Other indietronica I've heard, like LCD Soundsystem and Underscores, tends to really be indie rock music with some electronic textures and elements on top. And I love that stuff, but In Our Heads is something different. Hell, Night And Day is basically a rave track. Flutes builds up on almost entirely electronic textures, but is also so beautiful. The other 7 minute tune, Let Me Be Him, is also pretty, especially with the slide guitar at the end. A couple of silly points in the tracklist aside (How Do You Do? and Now There Is Nothing), I found In Our Heads to be a joy to listen to, front to back, in spite of its slightly intimidating length. 4/5. Favs: Motion Sickness Night And Day Flutes Least Fav: Now There Is Nothing
Dope
it was fun! nothing stood out to me but it was a fun time
This is what people eat when they lie? wild. i enjoyed this much more than i thought i would. i almost gave up when i saw "british electronic music" but i'm glad i didn't. it was a lot of fun!
Really really enjoyed about 95% of this one. I was in the flow state until Now There Is Nothing, which I didn’t hate, but it ended what had previously been a 5 star run. A pleasant surprise overall. 4.5
highly enjoyed this project, lots of flair and good electronic music. Would I listen again: yes Deserves to be on this list: yes 4.2
Okee het album was te lang, maar eerlijk vond het echt best leuk. Ben echt niet van de eleltronische muziek maar dit was heel vrolijk en ging er dus verrassend goed op
Enjoyed this album’s offerings
Lots of good fun tracks - I don't love the vocals but that's just me.
Alternative, nice album
very groovy 80s type album 7/10
esto es increible. podes imaginar a cualquier chabon sacado bailando esto en una disco.
One of the best albums so far that I listened to from here
Sure
Surprised by this one.
I don’t remember Hot Chip being so technoy. They combine indie with techno really well. My biggest issue is the singing style starts to get a bit repetitive, especially when some of the songs are 5 minutes plus and repeat the same lines over and over. Still pretty solid. 7/10
When I give myself context for albums like these, outside my musical wheelhouse, I tend to enjoy them more deeply. Context here made it a much more cathartic experience. It’s playful, fun, and all over the sounds. Cool stuff for an afternoon car drive bouncing through the cosmos.
Well produced synth-pop album that has some genuine bangers. Never heard of this guys. A little odd sounding at times. But usually great stuff. I will say however, this record was absolutely embarassing to listen to in front of other people. I'm not sure why, but the feeling was visceral.
This is a pretty solid electronica album and right up my alley of favorite type of music. It perfectly encapsulates that early 2010s indie synth pop sound ala Phoenix, MGMT. Didn't knock my socks off, but I enjoyed it from start to finish. Soft 4.
This is definitely groovy af. I've been bopping to all the songs so far and really loving These Chains right now. Definitely getting some LCD vibes from them but a bit more melancholy. Flutes was fun af! Ends of the Earth is also a jam. Honestly that entire album was a vibe and I dig it. Very dance-y. Also makes sense it sounded similar to LCD it has one of the guys from it in it. This straddles a 4/5 for me and I had this at a 5, but then I listened again last night and something doesn't sit right for me, so I'm going high 4.
Solid album. Synths on this album play a huge part and I prefer it more than kraftwerk. Still suffers the same fate in certain areas as it drags on. But it is doable as it actually has a handful of similar and playful lyrics to compensate for the long songs on this album, as it overall clocks in at around an hour which I consider to be a little longer for a genre like this.
I’m partial to this genre. This is the exact type of music I was literally to in the 2010s. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of them before.
3.5
Really enjoyed this album !
I only knew of this band because of their direct association with one of my favorite bands back in the day, LCD Soundsystem, specifically through member Al Doyle. But I don't think there's a point in comparing the two, even though they have a lot in common, especially on the production end, though Hot Chip is notably less eclectic. This was a great synthpop album - super catchy, groovy, and nice and warm on the ears, all while still managing to throw in a cool synth patch here and there to shake these mostly standard arpeggios and sequenced lines up. The slower guitar jam 'Look At Where We Are' also worked remarkably well in the sequence here and was a much-needed breather. But, generally, I never got tired of the sound palette used on most of these songs; at worst, they sound like your generic early '2010s pop bangers, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for me. The song 'Night And Day' may be the worst offender of this in sounding pretty dated, but these moments were few and far between. Songs like 'Motion Sickness', 'Ends Of The Earth', and 'Flute' are great takeaways and songs I'll be listening to for the foreseeable future. Good stuff here.
J'adore, il me faut c'est album !
High 3? Good record, some weird vocals but generally appreciated
I really liked this album. I do think there is a lot of "just indie pop" in it, but there are other parts that are really great. It's hard for me to think of it as a 5 star, as I think it mostly is just a really good version of something that was already being done. However, I could see it growing on me even more if I listen to it more.
Was a huge fan of Hot Chip, still am in a way I just never really listen to them as much. You kinda know what you’re gonna get: really good, electronic indie. Glad this popped up as a reminder that they not only exist, but are incredibly good. This stands the test of time, and while it was never my favourite HC album, it’s still pretty damn good.
Веселая, легкая запись, разнообразная стилистически. Но и не глупая.
Fun synth pop, highly enjoyable
I had never heard of this album or even this band before opening my OAD today. I am not mad at a fun-sounding electronic album, and this one went from strength to strength. I got some pretty obvious Future Islands / Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue, modern new wave vibes right off the bat. From time to time, I even hear a distinct early Depeche Mode influence, which was a pleasant surprise. Even with these clear connections, I don't get the feeling that the record is derivative in any way. I especially like the way Hot Chip uses their synths to create a very warm sound on many of their songs. The writing is even good! I was into each track until "Night and Day," halfway through the album, which I could have skipped, but then the record picked back up and finished strong. "Let Me Be Him" was a standout for its seamless flow of natural sounds and acoustic piano into synths, reverb, and back again. The final track, "Always Been Your Love," was a sweet, elegant closer with some understated '60s psych wah-wah guitar. I enjoyed my time with In Our Heads and will listen again. Four stars.
Favorite Track: Flutes
This is a solid album. The track ordering is wonky, since "Flutes" is my fave song on it and appears just after the middle. Thus in practice I usually don't bother listening to the last 4 tracks. They aren't bad, they're just a disappointment after what went before. 6 out of the first 7 tracks are bangers, you get to figure out which one I like least. Music nerd fact: "Flutes" is an excellent example of polyrhythm.
creative, interesting, pleasant fav songs: Motion Sickness lest fav: Now there is Nothing
I had Hot Chip’s preceding album on my iPod (RIP) back in the day and had it in regular rotation, yet for whatever reason I had never explored them further. They’re an endearingly dorky synth band with a heart that churns out spindly dancefloor bangers, and who couldn’t use more of that in these dark times? “A church is not for praying / It’s for celebrating the light that bleeds through the pain” is a brilliant lyric.
I found myself enjoying this more than I thought I would (like, way more), so I went back for another listen and it sounds like they're deliberately echoing some rather famous songs to get you to pay attention and then switching up the formula. It's actually kind of clever in a couple of spots. Unfortunately, there are also way too many moments that are just generic dance music, which is a shame, because I started off wanting to hate this album, and then after some time I really wanted to love it, but I couldn't quite get there. I've settled on "I'm glad somebody made me listen to this because I never would have chosen it." 4⭐️
Almost like a 2010s indie rock band did a collab album with daft punk. An interesting project.
Hot Chip is a relatively modern English synthpop band out of London that draws influences from house and disco, and its members are regularly active with other musical acts and DJ sets. It's clear from listening to this record, In Our Heads, that they understood their forefathers, like OMD and Depeche Mode, in their use of analog synths. Yet, they bring enough indie sensibilities in sound effects and songwriting that they avoid being too direct a throwback. The bouncy synthesizers, the guitar riffs, intricate percussion, and colorful textures work well across a variety of jams for the dance floor. The glistening keys that open to the disco beat and horn accompaniment of "Motion Sickness", the low-key simmer of "How Do You Do?", the guitar-led swaying ballad of "Look At Where We Are", the new jack swing shuffle of "These Chains", the somber bass-driven waltz of "Now There Is Nothing", this record goes through a good assortment of arrangements while employing introspective lyrics. That said, I do feel that the vocal performances of the members were mostly dry, lacking emotional weight in delivery, even bordering on spoken dialogue on the closer "Always Been Your Love". For as much as these sonic palettes they can tap into are fun and danceable, I wish the vocals matched that energy more. Still, this was a solid record from Hot Chip. I'll keep my eye open for these lads.
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fairly unusual mix of different inputs, yielding a pleasant and somewhat unique output. I'd consider a five but it needs more listening for that.
Definitely something here. Enjoyable album from another band I had no clue about.
I enjoy the sound of the album.
I know them from “easy to get”, a fun discovery. Synthpop that doesn’t rely too much on the usual sounds, uses nice vocals to create some groovy bassy tracks.
If you can get out of your head and just dance along, this album is a total blast all the way through.
I enjoy Hot Chip quite a bit, though I've never really taken the time to spin one of their records from front to back: this one's a body high that leaves little trace on the mind, and that's just fine with me.
Catch electronica. Well written songs.
It could be because the last album I listened to on this list was some disappointing electronica, but this just seems like it rules. I was vibing and jamming along to basically every song. I had a really hard time picking a favorite (so I picked multiple), and I don't think there was a song that I every really felt like I disliked. I'd much rather listen to albums like this every day than one-hit wonder kind of albums. And I honestly had a ton of fun the whole time. A coworker even pointed out how much I was jamming out in my work corner. Favorite Song(s): Don't Deny Your Heart, Look at Where We Are, Now There is Nothing, Ends of the Earth
It’s ok… released in 2012, I thought it could have been produced better. Vocal sounds dry, not been eq-ed, and a bit pitchy. But some layered harmonies are overly produced. Maybe this was done by their choice, but it was not too pleasant for me. Also the album is on the verge of being too long. However, the music is ok, flutes ok. Look at where we are very good too. All tracks are themed around their own style, yet very diverse too. So overall it’s a good 4 for me.
Some enjoyable stuff here. Also loved the album cover. Reminded me of MS paint back in windows 98
I like this album, but I'm all over the place with the review. Some songs like "Over and Over" and "The Warning" have me thinking about 5 stars, but then others are hard drop-offs (sometimes in the middle of the song) for me. It is making me think about the album and I keep coming back to parts of it. It's interesting for sure. That's way more than I can say for a lot of boring and forgettable albums on this list.
Fun indie
Tunes into the human urge to bop
Their fifth album. Electronica. How Do You Do, Don't Deny Your Heart and Night And Day are all good tracks. Flutes is too. I am enjoying this. The Synth / Alt Pop / Indie vibes are working for me. Really nice album.
Это такая капсула всех-всех мод начала десятых, а так как это как раз то время, когда я *становился*, очень сильная ностальгическая музыка. Как-то так. Лучшая песня - These Chains.
It might be because I have so many late night memories of dancing to hot chip at house parties but this album feels great to me.
It was great! Amazing sound!
Mi digestión volvió a normalizarse, pero necesito más.
I like Alexis and the boys earlier album The Warning quite a lot. This album a touch less. Still great fun.
Dance punk revolution from one of the greats.
Only familiar with their album, The Warning. But this was a nice surprise. Sputtered a bit towards the end but I would be lying if I said it didn't put a pep in my step. Rounding up. 3.5/5
Haunting vocals over relentless beats. Should it be this album included vs any of their others? I don't know, but they absolutely deserve to be here.
Very nice album.
Finally a good album. It's been 16 reviews since my last 4 star album, but this one really came through. I love how it's simultaneously chill but energetic - just a nice vibe all around
Lot to like here (Flutes especially). But probably not in the top three of Hot Chip albums I'd choose for this list
I like Hot Chip a lot but I get why they’re not for everyone. This album is solid, and too often forgotten. I love a band that (successfully) gets weird.
O álbum é bem diverso em gêneros. Algumas músicas energéticas, outras bem calmas. Me lembra muito two door cinema club, com uma pegada mais eletrônica discreta.
Cool and contemporary, very easy to get lost in. Tracks above 100bpm connected with me far more than those under, but there were still catchy moments to be found there (like the “doo doo doo doooo doo doo dooooooo doo doo” in Now There Is Nothing). Would’ve loved an album that’s Flutes 12 times over, but I suppose variety is the spice of life.
what a pleasant surprise!! i was doubtful simply because the name Hot Chip is stupid and cringy but this was super cool. hints of Scissor Sisters while dipping slightly more towards the electronic
You may not know this about me, but I love a good pure pop song and dance music. I grew up in the mid-70s into the early 80s and disco was going strong. My heart may belong to heavy metal, but my booty belongs to dance music. Hot Chip is dance music or alternative dance music or whatever weird genre you have, but at its heart, it's dance music. What makes Hot Chip more alternative, I guess is that it's a band and not a DJ spinning records. Most of the instruments are synths, but that's okay. For the first listen, I was at my desk working, and the next thing I knew, I was chair dancing while typing up the real estate report. Upon second listen last night, I again was dancing in my chair, but paying more attention to the lyrics and the sounds. I swear I heard video game noise samples in the songs. You don’t hink much about the lyrics of dance music, but the first track, Motion Sickness, seemed to by about a Sony Discman playing music for you. I loved Sony Discmans…or is it Discmen? Anyway, other songs are about God, love and the loss of a brother. Pretty deep stuff for a booty-shaking record. At first I wondered why is this album on the 1,001 list, but as I kept going, I kept feeling good and getting happy. This album, at least for me, brought me joy. And it wasn’t like I was sad or down before listening, but it wasn’t until I listened to In Our Heads that I noticed I felt really good. It reminded me a bit of the same feeling I had the first time I heard The Scissor Sisters' debut album. Just pure pop joy. If you’re a fan of dance music or synth-pop, or you just want a bit of a boost, then this album will get you off.
more like 3.5 or 3.8
Solid album, better than regular background music. The chillwavey sound brought back a lot of memories.
Head bopping fun
Good but lacking immediate bangers
Pretty good, although a little uneven. A few great songs. I love Flutes (in general, but that song in particular).
I really liked it! I was expecting EDM, but it turned out to be the good kind of electronica music.
Nice
Reminded me if Daft Punk in places...Depeche Mode in others.
This was a pretty fun listen - never really took the time to sit with this band, but glad I listened to this.
I'm not sure how I missed this one when it was new, but this was the first time I'd ever heard it. I really enjoyed it all the way through. A few tracks could have been cut down by several minutes, but that was my only complaint.
Electronic music - all the instrumentation sounds digital. Has a nice upbeat energy throughout most of the album. Pleasant and fun to listen to in the background. I enjoyed the album. Notable songs include Motion Sickness, How Do You Do, Don’t Deny Your Heart, Look At Where We Are, Flutes, Now There Is Nothing, Let Me Be Him, Always Been Your Love.
Nice album, listened to more of their recent albums, Very good
I was skeptical a first but it turned out to be a great adventure
Hot Chip is always a good time. Never really doing anything different, but just making fun music. 4/5
Technodisco
Oh I love hot chip! They are definitely a good electro band and this is one of their better albums! Solid from start to finish
Bastante chulito, no me lo esperaba asi pero me ha gustado bastante y ha sido un descubrimiento para mi
Solid album. Very unique sounds and production. The only relation I had to this album initially was to the first track, that was sampled in an Avalanches song that I really like. Otherwise, it was a great first listen to the rest of the album.
Great choons. Yearning and longing and bopping. One track sounds like it has the fun steel drum hits.
Fair enough - I think there should be a place for Hot Chip’s quirky nerd-pop in the 1001, especially given some of the dubious repeat entrants we've had so far. Admittedly I do consider them more of a singles band, and In Our Heads isn't even packed with their biggest hits… It does however contain one of their best in the form of the constantly-building Flutes. Look At Where We are and Let Me Be Him are also high points. Heck, it’s pretty consistently enjoyable throughout. Perhaps it really is their best album, as a whole. 3.5 stars; it’s clearly not an all-timer, but I’ll round up because I’m a fan of the band (and because it’s just generally good, danceable fun).
Not a bad album. Enjoyed the pop/rock vibes but it did feel boring after a bit. I'm at a point where I'm looking for heavier music so I couldn't fully get into it.
Pretty good
Before: Mid career hot chip - interesting. I might have expected their breakthrough to be on here. I don't think I ever heard this one. After :Oof when don't deny your heart gets funky! That track in general is awesome. VERY high quality. I enjoyed it more than I remember enjoying their two more popular early albums. This will be my default hot chip relistening album now. I'm never sure about hot chip ballads - the couple at the end of this record haven't clicked for me yet. Memories of seeing them at Glastonbury earlier in their career. Their sound was full and funky and I think this record captures that better than what I've heard before.
This is a new find, I like it!
elektronisch und gut. make my day!
Loved the music, hate the vocals
6.5/10 - a surprisingly good listen. Not particularly my type of music and I have no desire to listen to more hot chip. But I found myself enjoying this album more than I expected
Довольно энергичная и, главное, приятная музыка. 7 из 10.
Great album, very poppy and kept me engaged throughout. Would listen to again.
This is pretty good! Hot Chip is a unique sound with a heavy electronica backbone and clever lyrics. For me this is mostly happy, bounce around music. Seems like this would be a pretty excellent live show.
The tweet did come to mind when I first saw this album. Nice album cover. Have to point out that this is a relatively obscure pick for the 2010s. But wasn’t a bad listen, I enjoyed parts of it. Low 4
7/10 - It was different than most of the albums on here. More electronic sounds which made me happy
Sounds like these guys borrowed a lot from groups like new order and lcd sound system, which made for a pretty good (if unoriginal at times) album
"In Our Heads" is the fifth studio by English electronic music band Hot Chip. Synth-pop, alternative dance, indietronica, electro-funk and nu disco are the Wiki-listed genres. Oh, indietronica and nu disco are nu 4 me. The album was self-produced and had generally positive reviews. Commercially, it reached #14 in the UK and #62 in the US. The album begins with "Motion Sickness." A ticking sound, synth keys, percussion and heavier synth keys carrying the melody. Eventually a dance beat comes in along with synth horns. Lead singer Alexis Taylor enters. A nice full sound. The next song "How Do You Do?" starts the beats right away. This time an electronic bass initially carries the melody until a synth takes over. Layered vocals along with Taylor in the lead. Two for two in well-crafted songs. A hypnotic electronic bass and seductive beat captures you right away in the first single "Night & Day." Bubbly synths and layered beats. A song that builds. Backing vocals keep repeating night and day. Some ridiculous rhyming at the end with ABBA, Zappa and rapper. The group gets serious in "Flutes." Children chanting which leads into a synth and beat. Taylor's high tenor voice sings about confusion in a relationship, I believe. One of the best songs on the album. A wonderful deeper cut is "Let Me Be Him." Joe Goddard's deeper voice shares lead with Taylor. A song that builds vocally and with the synths and beats. The vocal chorus payoff is worth the wait. A song that works on every level. Just lovely! Here's a nearly eight-minute long song that seems too short. This album has a full sound with great production. Definitely headphone music although jamming through loud speakers would also work. The songs tend to lean toward dance songs but there are ballads some more pure pop songs. The lead vocals by Taylor and Goddard and backing vocals are excellent. I do think some of the songs tend to go on too long but overall a really good album. The highs on this album ("Flutes" and "Let Me Be Him") are among the band's best. I might give the slight edge to their previous album "One Life Stand." Both albums are very well-crafted dance-pop records and good representations of this style in the 2000's through the 2010's.
Definitivt 4 stjärnor!! Kanske tom 5? 🤔
Chill background music.
Surprised I liked this. The mix is great with sparkly sound. Catchy tunes.
Cant believe i overlooked this album at the time.
Not an album I’ve heard before. New Order and LCD Soundystem vibes! Beautiful 1980’s sounding production values, very ‘spacious’ feel to this album. Still sounds fresh 13 years later. Will listen again
The first "new" album that wasn't in my copy of the book. I totally missed it at the time of release. A very enjoyable album. Will be looking out for a physical version of it.
Nice
this had a better instrumental-to-vocalist ratio than the Hot Chip i've been exposed to. Nothing earthshattering, but I enjoyed it. 3.5
Suprisingly organic for an electronica album. Some really great grooves but some dry spots.
This one was SOO much fun wow. I'm always sceptical of the newer additions to the book, since some of them sound like they paid to get added to the collection, but this one belongs here i think. Fun, great sounding and just short enough to not get repetitive. I would maybe rate it a low 5, but high 4 has to do
Not my usual genre, but I really dug this album. It occasionally reminded me of Tame Impala or McBaise, but it was way more poppy and upbeat than either of those. 3.5/5
2nd best Hot Chip album I've heard. The Warning is way better. This, however, is good. 3.5/5
Great album by the very dependable Hot Chip. They are so prolific I don’t think I’d listened to this through before but am very familiar with Night & Day and Flutes
Hot Chip is just a good band. It's too bad they picked this album instead of one of their earlier ones that have some of their certified bangers on them. It's still a catchy album though.
When I saw Hot Chip as the offering I was a bit crestfallen. I've given them a couple of chances and while I think I liked some of their output, it was never anything I came back to. I didn't even recognize the album title. Not that I think they have a "popular" album, but this one seemed to have come out years after they might have been a fresh new thing and more of an established act. Well, my initial feelings gave way to real enjoyment. This was very good, and brought my ears pleasure. I am ready to give it another spin.
It turns out that I've really been sleeping on Hot Chip. I was familiar with them back in their heyday but these were the days before streaming was the norm. I still had to make decisions about what albums I'd spend my disposable income on. Hot Chip were always an option. I'd heard bits and pieces and was intrigued by them but never enough to invest in an album. Now I see what I've had waiting for me. Through the 80s and 90s, there was an explosion of electronic artists experimenting with the latest synthesizers and studio effects to create a multitude of subgenres. But their output was largely confined to clubs, raves and the few people listening to Underworld in their bedrooms (like myself). It takes a band like Hot Chip to gather all of these sonic inventions and turn them into more radio friendly indie rock and pop tracks. And they did so skillfully, balancing what was most special about those moments with the early 2000s indie scene. You can dance to it, sing along or simply daydream to it. It's not a top tier album but it's fantastic for what it is.
Great album, was perfect to listen to whilst at the gym only downside is I think I prefer some of the other albums over this one but still well worth a listen.
4/5. A fun and happy-go-lucky album of earworm melodies, wall of sound production, and danceable beats. It can be a little much as a full hour long album but for the most part, it is a welcome listening experience. The lyrics are not very memorable but the vocals match the energy with the rest of the instrumentation. It's funky, 80s synth with modern indie melodies, hard to be upset about, just maybe a little same sounding from song to song. Best Song: Motion Sickness, Flutes, How Do You Do?
Good background, probably not the best for active listening or whatever
What a breath of fresh air. I have never listened to a Hot Chip album before and once I listened to this once I put it straight back on again. Feels very vibrant, playful and like a celebration. Brilliant
I've been a Hot Chip fan for about 15 years, but somehow this album has gone pretty much completely unnoticed on my radar. This is actually their first album chronologically that I never really listened to, and none of the albums released since this one have I really paid attention to, either. I think I've been sleeping on this a bit, though. It's basically got everything I want from a Hot Chip record. It's kinda funky, it's very fun, it's danceable, it's a big strange, it's a lil silly, the lyrics are (imo) interesting... it couldn't be mistaken for anyone else. Favorite tracks: "Look at Where We Are", "These Chains", "Flutes", "Let Me Be Him".
Pre-listening thoughts: any pick from past 2000 worries me from this list. And just listening to the preview of each song I can already tell you this album will be okay, not anything groundbreaking or spectacular. But they included all these 2010s male indie bands and left out Two Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History??? A little baffling idk. Post/during listening thoughts: maybe I am in a fantastic mood today because it’s my weekend after two insanely difficult weeks at work and now I am stress free but I’m really enjoying this. The electronic elements create songs that are so sonically full. That “work that left side right side” vocal line in Flutes is insanely satisfying. My biggest beef is this guy’s singing voice isn’t that great. It’s definitely hipster and pretentious at times but I can’t lie and say it’s not good overall. 7/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Motion Sickness, How Do You Do?, Don’t Deny Your Heart, Flutes, Let Me Be Him Least fav tracks: Look At Where We Are, Night and Day
Genuinely enjoyed this. i thought it was a nice take on something new but incredibly intriguing. I kind of got stuck in a daze while listening but like a good one. I like.
In Our Heads was a much greater album than i was expecting. I was only expecting an okay album with a few highlights when i got my first impressions on the previews on these songs but hearing them in full has allowed me to fully appreciate just how good a lot of them are. Hot Chip's style of music in this album really shined with a lot of the tracks sounding very melodic but also being fun and groovy whenever they need to be. I also really enjoyed a lot of the lyrics as those all fit their songs very well. Not every song was perfect but when the songs were good, they were really good. Best Song: These Chains Worst Song: Now There Is Nothing
En fornøjelse! Jeg havde godt hørt om bandet men aldrig deres musik. Sangeren lød lidt som ham fra Erasure
English electronic band. My expectations are instantly low. They have vocals so there is a chance it won't be dreary repetition. Alexis Taylor has quite a lovely voice, I can now be officially coloured intrigued.
Enjoyed this, good indie dance/electronic music with some 80s influence but not in a cheesy way. Good album.
Hey, this list has come through with a solid recommendation that I'd never heard before instead of yet another garbage British post punk ass music?
I really dug this album Let Me Be Him was great. Good electronica from the age that I started listening to.
An excellent electronic album! It still annoys me a bit with the repetitive lyrics and overlong songs, but the music itself is pretty great. 4 stars might be too high, but because it's such a standout in the genre for me I feel like it's earned them.
I really enjoyed this. The 80s synth sound was charming, the lyrics were upbeat and sweet.
Rating: 7.5/10 Nice ambience and vibes, pretty dance-y and fun album.
Ik vind eigenlijk dat deze muziek op geen enkele manier legendarisch genoeg is om een plek in deze lijst te verantwoorden, maar je kunt niet zeggen dat het niet verdomd catchy is. En dat niet elk album op deze lijst legendarisch is wisten we eigenlijk al na een dag of 10. Een soort pop, dance, disco en indie. Daft Punk, Dr Lektroluv en Deadmau5, maar dan als band. Iets Depeche Mode-achtigs erbij. Melancholie. Ultieme hipstershit eigenlijk. Het gevolg is dat je zo'n album heel makkelijk doorkomt en stiekem zit je zonder dat je het zelf door hebt met een kleine glimlach op je lelijke mannenbakkes lekker met je harige mannenpoot op de maat mee te tikken. Het grootste nadeel is dat we dankzij het succes van dit soort bands tegenwoordig opgescheept zitten met ik noem een Son Mieux. Rustig maar, Son Mieux kan je hier geen pijn doen. Ik zou dit nooit uit mezelf opzetten, maar als ik het dan toch moet luisteren gaat het er in als zoete koek. Feelgood bagger, heerlijk eigenlijk. Zo'n wat langzamer nummer als 'Look At Where We Are' had van mij wel achterwege mogen blijven. Ik wil lekker met pak 'm beet 120 bpm tikken met m'n harige mannenpoot. Zonder twijfel 4 sterren.
I really liked this album, 8/10
This was fun! Nothing groundbreaking but clean and catchy.
This is like dance music made by nerds who have never left their bedroom. That's a compliment.
Reminds me of charli xcx and daft punk. I guess the influence/exploration was there? 3.5/5
7.7/10
Pretty cool sounds throughout, I definitely enjoyed the first few songs, got a bit weird after. Likes: Motion Sickness, How Do You Do?, Don't Deny Your Heart, Ends Of The Earth, Let Me Be Him
Yes good. Not sure how I missed this one as it was solidly within my generation of music. I liked the unique sound, and the vocals reminded me of America. 3.9 stars and will be on the re-listen list.
You know, I'm realizing it's hard to actually love an album after just one or two listenings course of a day. So I got to stick with four stars but this was great
This is not really my genre, but I found it to be pleasant and good music to do my morning workout to. I will listen to some other Hot Chip albums.
I like hotchip but I've never listened to this album. It was very enjoyable. Definitely has an LCD feel to it. Makes sense since one of the hotchip members is also a LCD member.
More modern than most, duet-ish, soft love pop ok background music but forgettable
I really really liked this one!!
This was surprisingly pretty fun for me! I liked it.
funky!
Easy listening
Great album will relisten again