In Our Heads

Something about this feels oddly soulless. There are some nice overlapping instruments, particularly involving string instruments and synths, but it's very artificial. Even the singing feels kind of empty. I'm also not a big fan of the melodies here, which are at once slow-moving and very difficult to catch onto properly. The chords are kind of weird and don't make it easy for the (vocal) melody to be catchy or singable – at least, upon a first listen. Maybe the music on In Our Heads ages like wine upon relistening, but I doubt I'll be giving it that second chance. The music wasn't entirely bad. There were a few musical ideas that caught my attention, particularly in the tracks Motion Sickness, These Chains, and Flutes. (Phoebe Bridgers pulled off the former much more convincingly though.) There are some fun guitar and synths arpeggios in these tracks that are significantly better-sounding with the wacky chord progressions than the singing generally was. The track Night And Day is almost nightclub-esque, although it has a heavy retro/80s vibe that separates it from the more 2000s-esque remainder of the album. 2/5 Key tracks: Flutes, Motion Sickness, Night And Day

nice surprise

quite enjoyable disco music

First time listening to this. Kind of boring.

Má své okamžiky, jinak hudba k nakupování, jako album, nezáživné

Not Chip (2.5/5)

Enjoyed that. Part of that brief spell of bands in the early 10s that sounded so fresh and vintage at the same time - alt J, XX etc. something that I don't think had much longevity but was pleasant when it was out. Might have a few of these in my rotation playlists.

A couple songs and this is the type of electronica I like. It's poppy with some artistic flair and leans into other genres. Was dancing hard to track 3 ("Don't Deny Your Heart")

I love HC!

Have kept hearing this band on the radio but never took much notice or interest in their music. DJ’ing club type music not my bag at all. However did stream this album at lunchtime. Might say everything that I fell asleep before the end of track 1 only to be woken by my son coming into the room and asking “why are you listening to this dad?” He was obviously surprised by my choice of music. He was wanting to watch an episode of Brassic so was banished elsewhere. I went without telling him that I wasn’t listening for the good of my health but because I had signed myself up to this bloody musical quest. Question was did my son’s intervention save me from further abuse to my ear lugs? Well no I did later give it another go but this time listening through my AirPods Pro rather than speakers. Listening on headphones brought out the production value of the album and I must say I was quite surprised. Sometimes albums benefit from headphone listening and this is one of them. Did not go to sleep this time but instead spent an enjoyable hour identifying and following the various electronic sounds whizzing around my head. So intrigued was I that I went onto Apple Music hoping that there might be a spatial sound version on there. But there wasn’t and in fact the Tidal version I was initially listening to sounded a lot better. Underpinning a lot of the tracks are some lovely melodies which I am sure if I listened long enough would become pleasant ear worms. Not an album I will buy at my local HMV but one I will look out for on Music Magpie. So an album which at lunchtime was a 1 but managed to sneak up to a very good 3 as illustrated by my review written over the course of today. 3/5 15/10/24

As far as electronic stuff goes, this was pretty chill to listen to on the way to work. 3.0

I’ll have to admit I was a little disappointed by this album since they have another route I really like

Maybe it's because this album is fairly new compared to most of this list, but it already feels dated. It came out when bands like Alt-J, Foster The People, and Two Door Cinema Club were at their peak, and honestly, I'd rather listen to their music. In Our Heads feels like generic hipster (and I mean the original millennial hipster) electro-pop. I want to be clear. I don't think this album is bad, but there were much better albums in this genre to pick. Best Songs: Flutes, Night And Day, Worst Songs: Look At Where We Are, These Chains

I have been really torn with how to rate this album. Initially, I was really pulled in, and started to enjoy it. However, 20 minutes in, I kinda forgot it was still on, and it began to sound really forgettable and all merging into one. I'd say this is a good album to have on whilst working, in the background, you can sort of feel it's presence but it's not doing much else other than filling the silence.

The fact that this is an electronica album and I didn't hate it is no small achievement. It was an OK listen but there's nothing here that would compel me to want to listen to it again.

after i put my CD of The Warning through its paces on iTunes almost 20 years ago, i remember being pretty disappointed by Made In the Dark. i always wondered if my teenage self was being unfair, but i think she actually made some cogent points - Hot Chip is much better at their fastest & punchiest to me. the cracks start to show on the slow tracks and the ballads. the same falsetto that sounds so zippy on the real bangers turns treacly and put-upon whenever the tempo slows down. unfortunately, this album has all the same problems as Made in the Dark. it's possible i just want hot chip to be something they're not, and this is how they always intended to sound. maybe The Warning was a fluke. i don't know! this is still a good album, but it would've been a great one with more tracks like Careful and Boy From School. let the indie darlings more suited to it handle the chill dreampop and hazy ballads. i want some chiptune roof-raisers!!

another decent album, but underwhelming. not good enough for a 4 and not bad enough for a 2, so 3 stars it is. these songs are too long and don't really go anywhere interesting. also did the other reviewers listen to the same album i did?? saying things about how "unabashedly upbeat and happy" it was and the parts that are "deliberately echoing" famous songs??? this album makes me feel like i'm at M83's funeral. favorites: don't deny your heart, now there is nothing

Lovely record.

Have to say I didn’t finish the whole album but liked “Look at Where We Are” !!

One reason I love synthpop so much is because of its naturally playful and quirky vibe, and that’s exactly what draws me to Hot Chip. This album in particular has such a fun, uplifting tone with lighthearted lyrics. It radiates a sunny, bright feel from start to finish, making it an album that always puts me in a good mood.

Bangers at the front, got less interesting towards the last few tracks. Still there’s some tasty stuff here, and I think Hot Chip are generally kind of underrated. Deserves another listen.

Hot Load of Shit more like

Not usually a fan of long instrumentals but this is pretty funky. There might not be much to the lyrics but that's not the focus in this genre and the beats make up for it. Highlights: How Do You Do? These Chains

What a perfect synth pop record for the 21. century.

indie-electro-pop? i like it. good find from 1001albums, haven’t heard of hot chips before. Favorite track: these chains other picks: look at where we are, flutes, let me be him

Good, dancy type, EDM. Nice change of pace

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

The best mostly-electronic album I've gotten so far, but that's a pretty low bar. I did enjoy this one though.

That first song is one of the best songs I've ever heard. The rest of the album feels like it's daring you to say it's garbage. where is the line between genius and trash? I don't know but this threads that needle very carefully. A pop album that lacks populism. 2000's were a weird time.

Er 3. Gangen jeg prøver å høre gjennom

Amazing! Creative instrumentation and effects, vocals reminiscent of Dirty Projects. Catchy songwriting, good use of synths. Each song has a different vibe. I will definitely give this album another spin soon.

Easy to listen to, nothing too deep.

I've been very on the fence with electronic music on this list. This is the first one that feels like a breath of fresh air in the genre, blending electronica with indie rock vibes and vocals. This album was just really fun the whole way through.

#356. This one is tiresome and a bit difficult to get through. 2/5: no Song added to playlist: Flutes I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Interesting. I don't know that I've strong feelings on this album one way or another it's not normally the type of music I would choose to listen to

Bit slow for me

Fun album. I like the mix of chill and and dance vibes. Just enough creativity to feel more elevated than your standard pop mix.

Thought this was banging to start with. Came back later and felt like I'd seen through the bullshit. But then I liked it again. It's good.

It's good but lacks variety for its long length

Solid, beat-driven all the way through. Just no real stand outs.

It was ok, but gave me no reason to listen to it ever again.

It's just a bit better than OK, a 3.5. I am unlikely to listen to it again as it didn't draw me in, but if a track came on, I wouldn't switch it off

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

Aight.

Tecno renovado 20 años después. Está bien

Motion Sickness // Look At Where We Are // Flutes // 3.5/5

Some of the songs have an OK hook, all the songs go on longer than I'd have liked. Overall not for me at all

Repetitive English nonsense, trying to be "cool" and "out-there", but sounding like what a suburban accountant thinks dance music sounds like

Indietronica was something really unique. Bands did the craziest things heard at that point while not being bound to a record deal. Artists like Sweet Trip created one of the earliest and craziest examples of this but Hot Chip pushed it into a whole other path, if not necessarily a forward thinking one. They made it much more Pop and much more Dance with the main goal being to have something made by them, while having a popular and fun sound that many would like. And it seems as though this worked as this album right here is really energetic and playful with pretty much every song it offers. The problem is that it's really inspired by 80's and 90's Dance which sadly isn't combined with new ideas. It was released the same year as Death Grips' "The Money Store" and this sounds like it's still stuck in the last 30 years! "In Our Heads" opens with 'Motion Sickness', a fast and Rave-like song that, while it does take a while to really get started, introduces a lot of the albums sound in a truely epic way that builds up more and more until a nice laid-back synthy melody enters and shortly after the lyrics come as well. The song really sounds like you are in some capsule and spin around until you suffer from motion sickness. It's a beautiful intro to the album and while I do have some negative aspects to point out, like the length which is too long and the intro that takes also way too long. The bridge and the outro is also not that great but the verses do really make up for that. I think it's a really good song with some really awesome momentsand a very memorable chorus. 'How Do You Do?' does get to the point faster but these vocals are... not good. They feel off and just not fitting and destroy the song for me. The chorus is pretty good and the overall vibe is kept much better but it sadly isn't as good. The song as a whole is quite okay but I have heard much better from other Electro-Dance artists. It also doesn't quite sound like 2010's. If this was 80's, super forward thinking but at that point, the 80's were 30 years ago. The slight Latin influences on 'Don't Deny Your Heart' do add a little extra to the album but like the song before, it fails to really make something outstanding. It still is a nice track and I probably prefer it over its predecessor but I still do not care much about it or what it does. It flows past me for most of it. The verses are quite alright and the synth guitar part is pretty special but other than that, just an alright song. The R&B and Soul attitude of 'Look at Where We Are' is something quite different and actually much more forward thinking. It's pretty much Proto-"Blonde" although it isn't as great or groundbreaking as this album. The bridge is absolutely shit but the rest is really enjoyable and has a lot of nice detail worked into the song. It's a good song with a lot of potential that they sadly didn't expand on and also "oh oh oh" bridge/outro that completely ruins it for me at the end. It's still alright. A return to the more Rave sounding style, now more in the 2-step and House style. 'These Chains' is something much more contemporary but it still isn't crazy at any point. It just lowballs itself and doesn't what would make it better. The have the potential but it is not used at any point and it turns the songs bland and boring. This is just average Indie Electronica with nothing to it. The more House inspired style is kept with 'Night & Day' and this time it goes much faster and more direct with it. It's still pretty much behind its time with songs like this emerging in the late 80's but it's still a pretty okay song, maybe even good. It does have its style and it goes all out with it. It's loud and repetetive but in a way where it's good. It's legit a really enjoyable song with a couple of really good moments. The albums second half is started with the laid back 'Flutes' which tries to go repetetive like the song before but it fails to make it interesting. It's annyoing and bland and simply something that I could do better in a couple of hours. It's legit a bad song. The songwriting doesn't work, the beat is boring and it combines it all into 7 minutes of dread that repeat over and over. This might be the favourite of many but I dislike it. It does get a little better in the second half but it's not enough for me to give this anything over a "slightly bad - blow average". 'Now There Is Nothing' goes a little psychedelic and tries something a little bolder with the echoy effects in the instrumental but the thing as a whole is still pretty uneventful and samey. I do not care for it or what it does. It's just basic, average, whatever you wanna call it. The synthy vocal parts in the instrumental of 'Ends of the Earth' is pretty interesting and it's really enjoyable at first but it takes way too long to get started and there was absolutely no need to strech this too 5 minutes. It might not be a bad song but it achieves its goal very fast but then drags on for another and another and another minute. It's tiring and turns the song stale really quickly. It is more interesting than others before but it isn't a big step up. 'Let Me Be Him' is another pretty lenthy one with nearly 8 minutes of playtime and also the slight House influences but this time it's done more laid back and slower. The result isn't bad at all. It's actually quite enjoyable but it again grows a little stale after a while. It just repeats itself over and over without adding much new and interesting stuff to it. It's a pretty good song at the start but I wish they tried more especially the soundscapes had some nice ideas worked into the track that had a lot of potential that later on just becomes boring and a little annoying which is why I go out of the song with a mixed feeling of "eh" and "ok" which results in a pretty average score from me. The album closes with 'Always Been Your Love', a song that pretty much is a the sonic essence of the album. It combines a lot of what made the albums sounds but this time... well, it does them even more boring and actually a little bit annoying. Not only do I not care for what the song does musically but the vocals and the songwriting are just not good. This song feels like a session leftover that was just thrown on to strech the album. It's not a terrible song but it's not a pretty good one. favourites: Motion Sickness, Night & Day, Ends of the Earth least favourites: Always Been Your Love, Flutes, How Do You Do? Rating: strong 5 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

what happens when an indie group makes a 80s-inspired dance album? the influence from years past is clear with analog synthesizers, drum machines, and a smooth mysterious sound that plenty of artists had then. just like with other indie albums i've heard in this collection, this album too has that mellow indie sound, never too loud, often meta, and sometimes awkward. i can never get into this sound fully, but it's a decently nice album if you wanna listen to synthpop with a modern twist.

This bored me. Definitely not my cup of tea.

I sincerely hope that when they said "eat hot chip and lie" they weren't talking about this one, because it really isn't all that good. Many of the songs on here have interesting concepts they delve into but ultimately fall just short of retaining that interesting nature. Songs like Don't Deny Your Heart with it's very 80s influence totally clash with These Chains' and Night and Day's synth-pop style. Much of this sounds like baby's first synth-pop. Highlights were Don't Deny Your Heart and Flutes

I have heard of this band but had never listened to them until now. I found this to be a relatively bland indietronica album. The light synths and at times delicate vocals made this fade into the background for me. The drums also don’t pack enough of a punch to energize everything else. Favorite track was Flutes.

How does this perfectly 80's post-punk brit sound come from 2012? It is a wonderful Pet Shop Boys-esque sound that makes you want to twirl and drink Zima.

Well, this album was pleasant enough. I probably would have rated it better if it was edited to around 40 minutes. None of the songs really landed with me. Maybe I have just encountered too much electronica/dance music lately. Why are there so many of these albums on this list? Do they really warrant the label of "must listen" or were they really just part of a moment in time and should have been left there? Just an average album for me...

listening in car with rear speakers, on a cloudy day.

Insultingly bland

Never heard of them before nor did I recognize any of the songs on this album. Some descend Brit electro-pop. Nothing remarkable, but better than many.

This one was kind of fun. Sounds very 2012 hipster, but I guess I don't hate that.

Very dispensary-core. Very 2012 Foster the People, but indietronic type beat. Not my favorite, but pretty inoffensive. Every song is too long

Night and Day sucks.

Я ебал это слушать честно говоря. Выдохся ближе к второй сотне.

Garbage vapid electro-indie pop. Who buys this shit?

Some decent songs

I have never heard any of this music before today. It's very nice and I really enjoy the chill electronic vibe. They use some really interesting sounds that I don't think I've heard before, excellent bass/drum sounds. This is an album that I will definitely be listening to again, I'm really glad I heard it.

Bright, layered indie dance. Reminds me of Pet Shop Boys. “Night and Day” has a cool, weird club beat. There’s actually a mix of stuff on here, not just dance music. Though I like the dancey tracks the most. “Let Me Be Him” was a highlight for me too.

Great start- I really enjoyed the metric modulation / rhythmic ambiguity that started track 1, it was a fun way of keeping me on my toes and questioning where the "1" was, and I was hoping for more of it throughout the song but never got it. I feel like I didn't mind the song (and following songs) being on in the background and bopping around, but these tracks really feel like they lack substance. There's just something missing, or they are just short of doing something that really impresses me. I almost want it to be instrumental because when the synths take lead parts my ears start to perk up and listen more intently. Listening to this makes me feel like I'm hearing some watered down LCD Soundsystem. It's really that got early 2010's college synth indie sound that was so prevalent then, but unfortunately this sounds kind of forgettable compared to the bigger acts from that time period. "Flutes" was cool, it's got some fun rhythms in there and doesn't feel like it's in a rush to go somewhere, which I really appreciate from this kind of music. It's the idea of a band saying "yea we have all of this fun bottled up energy that you are going to want and you're going to want to move to, but you're going to have to wait to get it." Man the vocals pull me out of it though. All of the mystery is ripped out of the track by the end. I might like this more if I listen at some other point but right now I am frustrated that it was close to something that I would really like but whenever it had a chance to go in a direction that I didn't want, they took that chance.

Nostalgia

p933. 2012. 2 stars. Insipid Brit electro pop. Well done of its kind, but totally unremarkable, and it definitely outstays its welcome. Not essential listening.

I’ve never listened to this album before, but I vaguely remember listening to Hot Chip's Made In The Dark sometime close to when it was released. If I recall correctly, I didn't care for it too much, because I think I just found it kind of boring. Regardless, I'm curious as to how I'll like this album, and I excited to give it a listen. I thought this album was pretty good. It was fun to listen to, and I liked how easy it was to dance along to. The first few songs were the best on the album. I enjoyed how the main melodies were really bright in tone, but the deep bass grooves provided a really great contrast. The album started to drag for me when I got to “Night and Day,” which was probably my least favorite song on the album. Even though “Night and Day” and “Now There Is Nothing” were the only two songs on the album that I had a strong dislike for, after “Night and Day,” the album never got close to matching the peak of the first three songs again. This album was fun while I was listening to it, but nothing was memorable enough to hang around in my mind after I finished listening to it. This album wasn’t bad, but I didn’t find it particularly noteworthy, especially when I think of it in the greater context of other synth-driven albums from the same time period that I really like.

It was refreshing to listen to something I'm more familiar with. I don't know a lot of Hot Chip, but I've always enjoyed what I knew in Flutes, Haurache Lights, and Over and Over. This album has some really great songs. My favorites are a Beatles-esque Now There is Nothing and also Look at Where We Are. Flutes is also great. Now this album is longer than it needs to be, and there is a fair amount of mid content on it, but great listen.

I don't find myself listening to electronic music, and maybe I would have a better appreciation if I noticed that not all the songs sound the same. Some of these just sounded like 80s rock. I am thinking of 'Don't Deny Your Heart.' And then there were dirty little industrial electro songs like 'Night and Day.' Definitely, they are going into my rotation. My favorites are 'Look at Where We Are' and 'Let Me Be Him.' Actually, 'Look at Where We Are' is one of the only giveaways to me that the album was released in the 21st century because it sounds like something that could still be on the radio. The rest sounds very retro to my ears. I always appreciate when I can be fooled in that way.

So when this album first started, I thought to myself "oh god, here we go with another borderline unlistenable, 'artsy' and 'experimental' electronic album." But I was pleasantly surprised and proven wrong. I liked a lot of this album and didn't mind the length of some of the songs, which can be a killer for a lot of electronic music. Overall, a good listen and wouldn't be mad if I had to listen to it again.

A few tracks have that daft punk quality where they repetitive yet catchy. But all together their sound just isn't original to me. If this album came out in the 90s I would be more impressed. Also, every song was WAY too long. Maybe it's a European thing.

yay

Don't know if I need a whole album of this, but it's a pleasant listening experience. Definitely some hipster shit tho. 3.

I really liked this at first, though it doesn't feel like anything special. The album felt a little long and I got bored towards the end. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

Another song called Motion Sickness?? It’s kinda fun, just not better than the other one. Albums like these make me wonder why they’re here. Not in a mean way just that I don’t know why! I don’t dislike it, I just don’t explicitly like it. It’s nice to have in the background of my drive, though. A solid 3.

I’m going to surprise us all by being semi-kind to some electronic music. It okay. Not as tedious or overwrought as other electronic junk I’ve suffered through for this challenge. It’s more subdued and actually resembles music.

A definite foot-tapper of an album.

who news the new order

I thought this was alright but seems mad to me that it ended up on an albums you must hear list. Was this even on album of the year lists in 2012??

My first experience with Hot Chip was in college when a friend showed me a music video of Cancer Jesus Godzilla blasting a boy band and reanimating them, only to be defeated by a floating head with laser eyes. I don't remember if the song was any good. So my expectations were low. But I actually really grooved with this album. I don't love it, but the music is good, and the singing is surprisingly not bad, repetitive, over processed, or shallow, which is rare for the genre, at least what I've heard.

This is a really consistent and groovy album, very danceable and catchy and 80s synth influenced I think it doesn't quite have the bangers that Hot Chip's previous 2 albums have but there's a lot to like here, especially the centre point (Flutes)

This is a combination of mostly dance/electronic tracks you could hear at a party and the music that plays 24/7 at gyms. I liked the few indie-y songs with the switchups more Standout: Now There Is Nothing

Não deixa de ser um disco intrigante, que pareceu um desafio a refletir sobre suas as percepções de autenticidade e inovação na música. Gostei do disco em alguns momentos, apreciando a atmosfera sonhadora com a mistura de sintetizadores, batidas eletrônicas e vocais suaves.

it's electronica but it's not kid rock 1.5 stars

Boring

Actually surprised I didn't know this British band! It's right along my alley! Cool find and great record.

Surprising

Electronic dance music. Boring. Stand-out: Now There Is Nothing

Pretty good, for 1984

Not unpleasant, just nondescript. I wouldn't recognise any of this if I ever heard it again.

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.

Day202 - i saw electronica and was ready to hate it but it’s pretty good sort of daft punk meets the pet shop boys

This album is very elctro pop meets Indie. Hot chip have a great sound. Motion sickness is a tune. Favourite song: Motion sickness Least favourite: Dont deny your heart and look at where we are. Album artwork: Love the cover

There is one specific song on this album that has triggered a deeply buried memory of a different song I used to listen to a bunch in college. I have literally spent hours of my time attempting to find that other song. I am uncertain whether this helps or hurts my rating of In Our Heads.

I liked this more than I expected. The first half especially was catchy. Motion sickness is good. Look at where we are is good, flutes is good, Now there is nothing all goo. This reminds me of still woozy who I enjoy. Overall pretty cool very much chill vibes.

I wasn't super in to this until "These Chains" which reminded me of the electronic dance pop music I liked back in the day. The songs before that were pretty forgettable for me. I guess the notability of this album is the return to mixing what is now called "EDM" with pop music and rock instruments. It's been done before certainly, and like I said there were bands and individuals making tracks like these well before 2000. I enjoyed "These Chains", "Night and Day" and "Ends of the Earth". I think the tempo in all three cases makes them more appealing to me than the rest. I wouldn't call this groundbreaking or anything; it's pretty good. Just not great.

I saw Hot Chip the year this album was released. I was galivanting around with someone who was obsessed. The overall feel of the album is great, there are shifts between moods, bpms, and instruments. It's light and fun, a real easy listen. I prefer the sappy love songs to the disco-y ones.

Completely inoffensive, but also mostly uninteresting. I enjoyed some of the production choices, though didn’t think they were entirely original. They’ve got a semi-unique sound. Lyrics are unexciting. Wasn’t a fan, myself. 3/5

Very interesting album, reminded me of Dirty South but then also like a 60’s British folk it was fascinating. A worthy British inclusion, and it’s interesting to see clear differences in electronic construction and execution by someone from UK vs US. Very cool culturally.

Nice! I've got this album on vinyl, through a club I was once in. It's really cool, Hot Chip is a nice electronic artist/group (not sure which), some excellent grooves and sounds on this one. I was just complaining about the uniformity of electronic/dance type albums on this list, but this one is actually refreshing. Great album! Favorite tracks: Look at Where We Are, Flutes, Now There is Nothing, Ends of the Earth. Album art: Really like the colorful collage style. Absolutely my kind of cover. 4/5

I was surprised by this one really liked it!

Considering the fact that in my list of musical preferences, electronic dance music ranks below didgeridoo and apes beating on hollow logs with the long bones of animals, this album was better than both of those options.

Hell yeah! Let’s fuckin dance lads. I had to describe these guys in the group chat as a band you hear when you’re shopping at the Gap in 2012. It’s not particularly groundbreaking as far as dance music goes but it’s still fun and upbeat so it’s hard to be mad at it. I would even argue this is Regular Person music since it’s very inoffensive, and not everyone is a huge music fanatic so it works in a broader sense. It’s honestly not a bad record, with some cool tunes and sounds. Lyrically it’s innocuous and fun. Not sure why it’s on this list though, it’s decent but nothing I’d seek out on my own.

One of those ones where I can't criticize, but is 100% not for me.

Based on description alone I expected to hate this. Honestly though, it's not awful. Electronic dance music is not my style, and it's nothing I would probably ever listen to again, but I don't find it offensive. Some of the composition is interesting, and for the most part it is pleasant. I understand why others would be drawn to it.

a few songs i liked but cant remember them a day later after listening but do remember it being right down the middle and nothing else

We disavow. Reminded me of a short period in my life when the radio was my only entertainment and I had to search for something listenable. I was switching between a station that played music like this and talk stations. The memories, good and bad. Mostly bad. I didn't like the slower songs much but Look at Where We Are is hella good.

For once, an album I can understand why it is on this list. This sounds so ahead of the time it was released in. I don't know where I have heard Flutes before but it's so good and I was scratching my head trying to figure out why I recognised it when it started playing

Boring… Is it actually composed tracks? IT sounds more like a DJ-electronic lounge set

Pretty enjoyable for my first listen. Great working music!

pleasant but I didn't like it enough to buy the album

I liked a few songs on here. Maybe I'll listen to this again to see if I like it more or less.

This album is okay, might need a few more listens to grow on me

3/5

Nice music…8/10

More Brit electro pop. This did nothing for me but I guess there’s an audience for it being that there’s so much of it on this list.

Good but only for very specific moods, a pretty repetitive album Favorite song: motion sickness

mir sind wieder in indie band woni nonie ghört han aber anschinend mega critically acclaimed isch territorium. de ersti song findi so unglaublich nüt bsunders. how do you do het etz no cooli synths aber ich ha hüt verpennt und s gurkt mi extrem ah dasi etz auno gnau da mue lose. ok don't deny your heart het geeeili synths und vorallem geile synthbass. und cooli chords. sie sind vo london?? für mich tönts extreeem noch new york. aber ok. de song isch etz geil gsi. look at where we are isch etz wieder major arsch findi. night and day cool i like isch boppy. aber sehr metallisch alles. sehr komisch. nöd würkli en fan. bi flutes bini am warte bises e flöte het. vlt meineds flûtes die apero teiler. nervt mi langsam da züügs. now there is nothing isch chli tame impala time, is ok i sink. finds huere langwilig weisnöd. enden der erde macht monki noises. finds huere nervig. kei ahnig ich chönts irgendwie möge und cha wie nöd sege wieso aber find das ganze afoch nöd soo geil. loh mich de ihm sii au wieder eig cool und denn "EEE OOH O OOOH" coldplay imagine dragons ass stuff. ok s het irgendwie öppis aber jääääh letste song etz bitz supertramp. cool aber langet nöd für es 3. sorry slitty.

oke slitty-musig sehr cool wies uufbaut und denn chömmed blöser inne und de synthi how do you do nervtmi iwie culi, s isch nöd schlecht aber joa bin jz bi night and day und ich finds nöd schlecht, aber au nöd meh? de synthi gad amigs dumm und isch funny aber s blibt wrnig hänge night and day hani glaub bis jz am lustigste gfunde, paar parts hend mich sehr ah 2010er erinneret hahaha flutes ultraaaa 2010 jaa es plätscheret chli vor sich hii bis ends of the earth, da findi de ahfang richtig geil let me be him findi d o-o-oh's recht schlimm, aber suscht ischs na schön s letschte lied hani jz seehr seicht gfundr oof find villes het spannendi ahsätz, doch nöd alles isch glich guet galteret und s hetmi iwie nöd so catched....3?

I missed a lot from the mid aughts to the mid teens, being distracted by parenting. This appears to have been a casualty. Strong opening groove, super fun vibe all the way through. Too bad the kids would have liked this back then for dancey-dance time!

I kinda neglected/dismissed this when it came out for some reason. It's super. Not my favorite or 2nd favorite Hot Chip but still. 3.5

Enjoyed this a lot. Reminded me a bit of Underworld but a bit less intense.

Hot Chip's 2012 release "In Our Heads" offers a mixed bag of electro-pop tunes that fail to fully captivate. While the British group's signature blend of danceable beats and quirky synths is present, the album lacks the consistent spark of their earlier work. Standout tracks like "Motion Sickness" and "Flutes" showcase the band's ability to craft catchy, layered electronic compositions. However, much of the album feels formulaic and lacks the innovation fans might expect. The production is polished, but at times, this comes at the expense of the raw energy that made Hot Chip's previous efforts so compelling. Lyrically, the album touches on themes of love and relationships, but often in a way that feels disconnected or overly abstract. While die-hard fans may find moments to appreciate, "In Our Heads" ultimately fails to leave a lasting impression, resulting in a middling entry in Hot Chip's discography.

Some songs are great, some are pathetic attempts to sound like the 1980s synth pop their parents used to play. Songs are long. Favorite song: these chains

Alternative rock with a pop feel. Not too bad. Started off strong then kinda died off at least for me.

So much nostalgia! Early years of festivals etc. I remember Hot Chip was one of the first things we saw at my first Bestival and it being so exciting in that big top tent. Reminds me a lot of Philippa listening to HC, as she was a big fan. In all honesty on this listen I wasn't into it all. But for nostalgia value and for a bang with it's own niche I'll rate higher

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!!

Lindo popero, coqueteando lo techno con la balada

This one had a strong start that honestly took me by surprise, and the album was really listenable as a whole. This allowed me to have some fun with a genre that I wouldn't otherwise spend any time with. More importantly, it got me through some schoolwork that I had been procrastinating for weeks, and for that I am most grateful.

Not as bad as I thought it would be, but the overly electronica songs are too much. 2 stars.

Damn fine album

3.5. Starts off with a bang and some great house inspired tunes later on

Light, fun album. I think this is one I'll listen to again a bit. I like Hot Chip, not least because it gives me hope that as a very old man I can still make it in pop.

You can add "alternative dance" to the list of genres I have zero interest in.

Weird, groovy, dance-friendly. Good ebb and flow to the tracks. A fun and memorable listen. Best song: How Do You Do?

Great soft electronica with clear British vocals and elements of indie rock. Will re visit on a club stereo.

Favourite tracks: flutes

Genuinely surprised to see Hot Chip on this list. I've been a casual fan of theirs for a while, and never listened to a whole album before. I did enjoy almost every track. Night and Day and Now There Was Nothing leave a little to be desired, but all the others were great. I'll likely explore more of their discography.

One of my favourite albums. Had this on repeat during my early twenties so it holds quite a bit of sentimental value. Flutes is on my list of all time top tracks.

It's soft indietronica with post-rock progressions and it can be sweet and it can be boring.

Yeah, Hot Chip is a great band and this might be their most consistent effort and it got Flutes, so 5 stars.

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.

It starts off very nicely, then becomes somewhat monotonous, although there are still a couple of energizers, such as Flutes.

Garbage.

Surprised this is on here but actually my first and favorite hot chip record! Night and day bangs. Flutes and ends of the earth are super cool. How do you do and motion sickness AND don’t deny your heart are all awesome. Great vocals. Cool blends of electronics with other organic instruments. Great record.

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 think this album was Bad by any means but i just didn’t really vibe with any of it

boring

I've been a fan of Hot Chip for a while, though I haven't listened to this album before. I've always seen them as a singles band, the few albums I've listened to are inconsistent (at their lowest: mid, at their best: fantastic), this album hasn't really changed my opinion on that, however this is the most consistent they've been. The highs on this album (obvious picks are Motion Sickness, and Flutes, but I'd put Night and Day in there too) are nothing short of phenomenal, Flutes in particular (I knew the song prior to listening to the album) is one of the best pop songs of the 21st century in my opinion. The songs in-between are for the most part quite well put together, there's a few dips in quality, but there is a pretty significant gulf between these songs and their best.

It's exactly this kind of bland, middle of the road indietronica that made the 2010's so musically forgettable.

I like some Hot Chip songs but haven’t really been introduced to more than the occasional song on another “artist radio” while streaming. Although this one wasn’t something I feel compelled to listen to over again, I do think I’ll listen to the other Hot Chip albums since I enjoy their style.

good dance record, made me boo my head to a few, fun enjoyable tracks

Trite and tedious. People who dislike synth and/or electronic music: I get you, I really do. When a record like this is held up as a reference point, I fucking hate it too. The only difference between this record and the 80’s synth pop records that this list is so fond of, is that there’s 30 years between them. There are plenty of great electronic musicians making interesting, innovative and challenging music, like Oneohtrix Point Never, or Floating Points or Fourtet, but they don’t rank for the creators of this list, apparently. …but if you’re making some shit in the 2010’s that sounds like it should’ve come out in 1986…Congrats and welcome to the list! I really, truly, hated this record. Here’s 3 records you should listen to instead: Floating Points - Crush (2019) Fourtet - Rounds (2003) Oneohtrix Point Never - Again (2023)

Look At Where We Are These Chains Let Me Be Him Little too much techno feel and wasn’t a fan of the out of key singing here and there. Not too shabby tho. Has some catchy tunes and dancing vibes to it

What an awesome sound! I'd never heard of Hot Chip before this and I had no idea what to expect, but this was marvelous. Such rich sounds and great music, great hooks, great beats, great performances. Just wonderful all around. I liked it so much I'm going to listen to it again. Five stars, easily.

I really, really try to give all of these albums a chance and sometimes that leads me to forcing myself to listen to music that is just not enjoyable (to me), but I still power through and give each song a chance, in full, on the album to give me something. I was not able to do that with this album. There were several songs where I skipped to the next one after a minute or two, which is the first time I can remember in a long time where I did that. Musically, it's not bad - there's some decent beats and riffs and layers and whatnot, but once the singer starts singing, the whole song falls apart - it's like a knee jerk reaction to find the "next" button. I usually wait to read other reviews until I've finished an album so I don't taint my own view, but admit that I jumped the gun a bit on this one and took a peek - very surprised to see this have so many 5 star ratings and an average over 3. Just goes to show how diverse all of our musical tastes are....thank God this one is over, though.

A big meh

I freaking love modern indie pop and their artsy looping beats. Still, I couldn't deny that this area of music suffers from sounding oversanitized. Creating a rather cerebral sensation of being in a museum of "modern art" with all its white walls and stuff. I appreciate it, but I'll surely enjoy more if it feels like a paint gun festival or a laser disco rave vibe instead. I want the colors that it shows on its cover.

It's a pretty solid, upbeat and bouncy album, but it doesn't ever reach beyond that. There's some good tracks in here, but nothing particularly standout. It's just generally a good time.

Not for me. Not my type of thing as it is but found it not very memorable and a bit dull.

I guess this was a ok 2.5/5

Interesting they chose to put this one on the list - it’s not got as many instantly recognisable singles but is a really nice listen

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

barely listenable

Enjoyed the album and the different blends of music.

Meh. Your heads weren’t so interesting to me.

A good summer record! Bouncy and sunny, but not without depth and a bit of drama. Celebrating life, being together, being human, what's not to like? It's ironic that it's called 'in our heads', given how much it makes me want to get out of my head. And it sometimes succeeds. This would probably be a really fun live act.

I think this album spent too much time trying to catch the 80's and kinda threw everything else out the window. it has some fun here and there but the majority was unlistenable (Motion Sickness set the bar pretty well for what to expect).

I really tried with Hot Chip. Their single and video “I Feel Better” was really fun and stupid (and also not on this album). But I haven’t enjoyed anything else I’ve heard from them. It’s got all the right ingredients but it just doesn’t work for me. To quote Pablo Francisco “I love spaghetti but it’s got shit on it!”

Fun electronic pop.

I didn't know about this Hot Chip album and it was a nice surprise. The songs ran a little too long but it was decent

Maybe I'm just not in the mood for it this morning, but I'm not feeling this album. Just background noise, and nothing I would wish on anyone else as an album they "must hear before they die." 2/5

decent but wont seek out again

2.5 stars - meh

not my thing.

This wasn’t bad, wasn’t good. It was just there.

Felt like a synth 80s album. Nothing great, nothing terrible. Just fine.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: How do you do?, Look at where we are, These chains, Night and day

None of their smash hits on it but still really good.

Pleasantly surprised but not quite to my taste and a tad long

Some catchy new wave type stuff, consistent throughout although it lacked any sort of a standout hit

This reminded me of new order a bit. Not bad.

Really enjoyed this. Forgot how many good tracks were on there.

Mischung aus Synth-Pop, Dance und Indie. Aber keine Gute. Gefällt mir gar nicht.

it's an interesting album, but also kind of boring overall 3.1

Some catchy songs

own

4/5

This sort of trendy cool electro indie isn't really my thing. Still enjoyed listening to this though

Romantically inclined dance pop with an edge

Good background music

Hot Chip makes fun music, but I'm not sure that I would have put this album on this list. I don't know that this album was all that innovative for 2012. Perhaps that's because I spent the whole time I was listening to it writing emails to shitheads at work. Still, it's a toe-tapper 3/5

Listened to it several times. It failed to make an impression.

Bro what the hell this is some of the best music I’ve ever heard. How have I never heard of this band. Easy 10/10

I haven't heard of this band so I didn't know what to expect, but I kinda expected dance (judging by the cover). I'm not a big fan of dance music, but this has something else It's a fun listen sans dancing, but I tired of it by the end.

Hot Chip always sound like Hot Chip.

A small part of me wants to insist that Hot Chip makes some pretty bad music, but it just goes directly into a specific part of my brain and pulls all the right levers. It's instant dopamine and completely addictive.

Hot Chip is not exactly the Michelangelo of electronic music. Luckily it’s often much more fun to hang out with his dumber brother and just enjoy yourself.

I only wish this album was more consistent like "These chains" (5/5) or " Ends of the earth" (4/5) The rest is just ok 4/5

With most songs of this album, Hot Chip manages to beat LCD Soundsystem on its own turf--a turf filled with cold yet infectious grooves drawing from EDM regalia, eighties sugary vocal hooks, krautrock-inspired dirges, and adequate callbacks to Pet Shop Boys, Prince or Steely Dan. On paper this sort of description risks coming off like a cheesefest, but Alexis Taylor and co. very often avoid that pitfall by relying on tense and tight *minor* harmonies, giving a little substance or gravitas to the admittedly festive proceeedings. Those sorts of harmonies are the secret sauce here. Otherwise, I don't think I would like that menu as much as I do now. Only two tracks come off as awkward or hackneyed, in a The 1975 fashion: They're "Don't Deny Your Heart" on the first half, and "Now There Is Nothing" on the second. But the rest is excellent, from the somewhat ominous opener "Motion Sickness" to house-music-adjacent jam "Flutes" (concluding on a surprising and quite sophisticated chord sequence to boot!). Or from the touching, subtly layered, and surprisingly restrained and concise ballad "Look At Where We Are" to the maniacal, devilish, and syncopated off-kilter rythms of "Night And Day". So minus the two partially forgivable duds quoted earlier, the tracklisting of this LP offers a very dynamic experience of Hot Chip's talents--with songs that are both in the same vein and yet varied enough to offer fresh and new angles on that sound, and this up until the very last cut. Quite impressive. And fun, considering I wasn't too attuned to this sort of experimental pop sound when this record originally came out. I remember seeing the band live in a festival around *In Our Heads*'s release, though, and even back then I admitted they were a strong act. But, as I said, I didn't expect to like this album as much as I do now. I'm probably more open-minded to this sort of sound these days--even though said sound aged a little. Because what's interesting in that particular strand of indietronica is that it takes the best of both the indie and the dancefloor worlds in ways where the mix sounds natural and enticing. Not so easy to pull off. And even more admirable when you realize how stong the writing is, often allowing Hot Chip to avoid pure gimmickry--a flaw often found in that sort of mash-up genre. I browsed through a lot of other Hot Chip albums after listening to this one, by the way. You have stellar gems in some of them--like "Over And Over", "Boy From School" and the title track on *The Warning* ; or "One Life Stand" on the LP that bears that song's name... Yet it's clear to me that *In Our Heads* is the band's most convincing offer in a long format. As of now, at least. Sometimes hits are not what makes a record great. Sometimes it's the overall story, or the whole adventure, whether the latter are in an LP, a film or just in your heads. Glad Hot Chip got that particular "story" out from theirs. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 5. Which translates to a 9.5/10 grade for more gemeral purposes (4.5 + 5). Number of albums left to review: 232 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 332 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 195 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 248

# 205 : It was like listening to nothing, I don't love it. I don't hate it, it is ok if kind of dull. Nothing stood out and I wouldn't go back to these guys voluntarily

Easy listening

Music for those who find the Pet Shop Boys too edgy and hard-hitting. New Order-lite or Depeche Mode-lite. In fact, lightness to the point that it seems ready to drift off in to the ether and evaporate entirely. This is not to say that it's excellently evanescent or lusciously luminous, but rather that it's vanishingnly insubstantial. Rather it wants to bring back the '80s in non-salubrious ways, those bits that were surely left behind. One supposes it might be considered danceable, but one doesn't personally condone such activity or necessarily consider danceability a merit in evaluting albums for deathbead worthiness (as if one will be dancing then and there). The odd hook comes thru – the guitar (perhaps not synthesized) hookiness on "Don't Deny" – but the overall effect is of disposable and forgettable pop music. The last cut "Always Been Your Love" is best, a modestly tuneful pop bon-bon that features actual guitars and string (rather than a wall of sugary, synthy silliness) though it's possible one was just relieved at finally being able to move on to something else. And let's be honest, their later work hasn't much exceeded the promise suggested by one of the titles here – "Now There Is Nothing." They've not got any better and still somehow get airtime (adding annoyance to one's overall Hot Chip experience). The name is cool, too; one expects a surf punk band maybe, or something maybe Strokes-like and the unpleasant surprise must also be considered a knock against this exceedingly modest, humble-for-a-reason work.

Track 1 is grand and quit lovely. 2 gained power, as I didn't like the start but it gets better. Nice synth lines. Vocals are not the strongest here, but track 3's production and composition is pretty great. 4 is less interesting to me as it leans on vocal and guitar. Vocal production is not for me aswell. Track five is also not my favorite. A bit flat. Not much going on other than nice key glisandos. 6 is fine. Not something I'll be going back to. 7 is a long and very strong song in this album. Maybe my favorite so far. 8. Is more of a rock song with vocal harmonies. Actually it works really nice. Interesting composition and very nice textures. Track 9 goes back into the synthpop vibe of the record. Sounds like something from the late 80's early 90's. Super track. My best here so far. Wow. Vocals work best here as well. Track 10 is nice. The backing vocals are a bit cringe. And it maybe is a bit too long. Yeah, it is too long. 11. Let's close it here. A very nice song. Again some cringe women vocals. But the base here is very very nice and sweet If this album was a shorter and sharper 40-45 minutes project,  I think it would benefit from it very much and could be close the a masterpiece. But judging it as it is, it's still a great record with many highlights. Some songs didn't do it for me, as well as some production choices. But I enjoyed my ride It's a 3.8

Always liked Hot Chip and while this has been somewhere in my collection for years, I hadn't given it a fair crack for quite a while but it's a brilliant album, both eclectic and focused. Nice and chilled but has its boppy moments too, although I think it fades a bit in the second half which is keeping me from thinking too hard about a 5 star. No qualms on giving this a 4 though. Great stuff.

Deserves a second listen but it's a steady 3* for now

Alright, not bad! Contemporary Pet Shop Boys? The post-rock-turned-techno from Vessels but with pop𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳? This is neat. [...] ... I thought for a while but now I have the urge to - Oho-Oh-Ohoho-Eoh - skip through it. This isn't giving me anything I'd actually like or need to have. It's all just very whatever. At #84, the most interesting entry in the Electronica genre so far, sure, but that bar is crazy low. Still, not an actual bad or even truly boring album, but why is it here?

Sopivasti tunnelmaa ja menoa, pari kertaa pyöritti helposti läpi.

Melko joutavaa

I’m not sure how I’ve never listened to this album before. In 2012 I was super into indie rock and loved similar bands like LCD Soundsystem. Hot Chip somehow slipped by me. I like the sound a lot - it reminds me of a better version (sorry…) of Glass Animals, which I’m not very into. The last minute of Don’t Deny Your Heart is pretty awesome, and Look At Where We Are especially sounds like the song Glass Animals wants to make (I feel bad about hating on them when I’ve only heard a few songs, I will give them another try). The album slips a bit for me on Night and Day, the lyrics are awkward and so is the tune for me. After this, even the single Flutes, sound very samey to me. I like it, but I’m not compelled to come back to it and it’s one of the first albums that I don’t quite understand being included in the 1001 Albums list.

I took time off from this listening project to have emergency abdominal surgery, and I'm wondering if my exploding gall bladder was surreptitiously helping me postpone listening to this album. It was released in 2012, but it sounds like mid-80s. Voices are nice, instruments and computers are well played, and production is as clean as can be, but it really doesn't do much for me. DON'T DENY YOUR HEART is an okay song (I wonder what it would sound like in another genre); if you found yourself drunk on a crowded dance floor, it'd be a great song. I guess that's what most of the album is designed for, so I can't fault it for fulfilling its destiny. I bet it gets a lot of play at weddings and reunions in the UK. The slow song, LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE, sounds vaguely like a throwaway song by 10cc. I'd rather be listening to 10cc. Overall, it's neither good nor bad, but it's way too long, so I give it ⭐⭐. ________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 48 🎧 LPs left to review: 953 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 11 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 16 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 12

Was expecting to like this one a bit more than I did. 'Night and Day' is a banger, a lot of the rest was just too lightweight disco pop for me.

Great album that somehow passed me by. I only knew 1 of the tracks from before. Will be listening again

I've always struggled to get into Hot Chip. This hasn't changed much, but i did really enjoy this as a listen.

Nope. That hour felt like three.

Very poppy, but I thought it was good pop. I enjoyed my second listen and thought maybe I might even choose to listen to this. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Let Me Be Him, Flutes Rating: 4

Eat hot chip and lie

i mean cool sound i like it but like what is this mf sayiN

Really fun! Missed these dudes when they first came out.

Its fine and fun, just not my kinda fun

Fun stuff.

Me gustó mucho el disco y la banda!

I was about to give this 4 stars because at the time of listening, I kinda liked it, some tracks even really liked. But now, a few hours later, I don't remember any of it and don't feel the need to listen to it again.

I felt there was a bit more variation in this album, even though the vocalists did not seem to range a lot in their emotions while singing. It reminded me a bit of The Human League (you know "Don't You Want Me") but the sound was updated for the 21st century. There was no one song that I rolled my eyes at, so there's a plus. Usually I get to this kind of act and it gets a little over the top. I just wish there was a bit more from the singers (except in "Night and Day," that was pretty good, although it could have been edited down a bit). In fact a few of the songs could have been trimmed. And WTF were they singing in "Flutes" in the background? No, that wasn't annoying at all... Top tracks: "Let Me Be Him" "Night and Day"

Why is so much of what is on the 1,001 list from the last decade or so electronica? Is that really the only stuff that is really unique and noteworthy these days? I hope not. I didn't mind this album, but at times it got on my nerves - beats just droning on, same old vocals blending in with the beats, annoying effects. The lead vocalist reminds me of so many other vocalists from this era - Foster the People immediately comes to mind. So, not unique. Some songs really stuck out and got me grooving - How Do You Do?, Night and Day, Ends of the Earth. A couple others were better than average but not quite great - Motion Sickness, Don't Deny Your Heart. A little too inconsistent for me.

I say like bubbles, decent!

This is surprisingly better than expected. Would not be a bad album for a long road trip.

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

Don't like this guys voice

Never heard of these guys… I really enjoyed this album. Good chill songs

Zurück in die 80er, Pet Shop Boys Feeling... aber nur kurz, auf Dauer zu eintönig. Schade.

Reminiscent of 80's New Wave -- it's pleasant enough for background music, but doesn't really push any boundaries for me. Unexpected banger: Flutes, I guess.

I recently discovered these guys too! Good stuff

I was expecting this to be an album pre 2000 as most are and I was shocked when I played it, I was like this sounds really ahead of its time, but no it's slightly recent. Album reminds me of the songs they played in Victoria Secret when I was younger and my mother would take me with her.

I was prepared to hate this just based on the genre, but I didn't mind the instrumental part at all. If I'm being fair, a lot of the backing tracks sounded like they could have been popular songs on the radio when this came out and even today - as long as someone else was writing and recording the vocals. That's where they lost me. There were a few songs that sounded like they could be Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars tracks - but instead of selling them to artists like that who could have done something with them, these guys wrote weird lyrics and sung them poorly.

meh.

Not sure what to make of this. It was listenable and varied but not an album I’d go back to. Low 3*

A bit distracted in the office but didn't grab me.

Interesting album. I enjoy its song

At times I sorta enjoyed the chill indietronic sound, but probably more of the time I was bored Favorite track?: “Now there is Nothing” I know I would’ve rated this lower 2 years ago Torn between 2 and 2.5

Pretty inconsequential. There is just nothing here for me.

Hot Chip have never failed to miss the mark for me. I always think to myself that they should be incredible, I can see what they're trying to do and literally every time I hear them, I think "I should be subscribing to your newsletter" - yet every time I think "This should be so much better than it actually is". I've not heard this album before, or any track on it. So let's see how it pans out. Maybe this will be the one that wins me over? It isn't. Yet again I've found myself so very close to really liking it. There were a couple of tracks that I actually did enjoy, but it's jus a little bit not quite there.

After getting more post 2000s albums I feel like the author could’ve used some help on what albums were actually influential during this time. This album is not influential in any way. I just feel like the author randomly heard this one day and liked it so put it on the list. It’s just safe synth pop. And I hate post 2000s synth pop. I guess points because I didn’t actively hate it? But that’s why I usually hate synth pop. It’s safe and makes me feel absolutely nothing. It makes me feel bad I rated other albums lower bc at least they were trying something new and made me feel hate. Rating: 1.5

Easy listening, don’t know if I’d really listen to the album all the time

I literally have nothing to say about this other than "It was good background music". The most 3/5 album ever made.

Skemmtilegt popp, sem er samt ekki uppskriftarpopp.

I think their later stuff is more appealing to me, but I did enjoy some tracks on this one.

Did not care for it.

Solides Album aus abwechslungsreichen Gesangseinlagen, Technoelementen und Popeinflüssen. Es ist kein fesselndes aber ein ordentliches Album. Von den Songs stach “Look At Where We Are” hervor und gefiel mir sogar besser als “Flutes”.

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.

Made in the Dark but I can see now that that was a mistake. This is probably my favorite of their albums on only one listen.

One of the few albums that brings back memories of where I was when I was listening to it for the first time: walking next to the Cannon River in Minnesota on a warming spring day, hearing the opening tuba pomp of “Motion Sickness” and being immediately entranced by how familiar and odd it was at the same time. Hot Chip weren’t the first example of a live band doing electronic music I’d ever heard before, but I hadn’t really heard anyone else do music like this. Of course, having listened to infinitely more music in the intervening 12 years (including a *lot* more Hot Chip), the sound itself is less novel, but the presentation seems more novel than ever. Just in the first three songs, you have the aforementioned tuba/arpeggiating synth of “Motion Sickness” leading into the thumping kicks of “How Do You Do?” leading into the bombastic R&B-pop of “Don’t Deny Your Heart”. Everyone loves “Flutes” for being probably one of the best buildups in dance music, and I like it a lot too, but I take greater pleasures in other moments: the slinky vocals of “These Chains”, the unique romanticism of “Let Me Be Him”. Around this time, I got into Hot Chip’s live act, and they still remain my favorite live band even I don’t really believe in my hyperlaudatory stance that they’re the best live band currently working anymore. That live show still influences my opinion of this album…but I still love this album deeply. I’m glad a lot of you really liked it, too.

Upbeat dance music that is held grounded by very subdued, sometimes monotone vocals. Motion Sickness is great and Flutes is the crown jewel here. Look at Where We Are is a somewhat poignant ballad. Despite borrowing house and disco style synths and rhythms, the songs often still have an almost acoustic feel (that super dry snare a big reason). It's best when it's trying to be dance music without being 'club' music (e.g., Night and Day). Don't Deny Your Heart has all the ingredients of an 80's soundtrack song but somehow comes off not cheesy.

Flutes is a killer but it was a little samey overall

Not really my thing to be honest

Was skeptical at first, but it really grew on me. At one point - night and day, and flutes - i started dancing around the room. Funky and groovy.

great!

2 hours long. 23 songs.

Pretty good would listen again. The best version of a sound that was everywhere in the 00's

2012 Genre: Synth-pop, alternative dance, indietronica, electro-funk, nu-disco Standouts: Motion Sickness, How Do You Do?, Flutes, Now There is Nothing, Always Been Your Love 4/5

They have far better albums than this one, in my opinion.

An above average electro dance album. 3 stars

ehh...2/5

LOVE IT

Sounds like it was made in the 80s. That's not a compliment. Also, the singer's voice is annoying. Blah.

Becoming disillusioned with this project. Most of the albums have been crap. There have been several that I would have given negative ratings for if I could have. This particular one isn't horrid but it's not a group that I would listen to again.

Liked it for the most part, very consistent album only reason I didn't give it a 4/5 is that I'm not sure I loved any of the songs as much as I just liked most of them. Never heard of em before, cool sound

Really good synthpop album that feels like an updated New Order. Really danceable but not repetitive. “Motion Sickness” is one hell of an opener, multilayered and with a bunch of cool samples (did I hear “Homework”-era Daft Punk?). Synthpop often sounds a little empty and tinny but from a production standpoint this is really full and balanced. I listened a second time on headphones, which was way better.

Disclaimer: this review may be biased bc I literally hated the last couple we got lol Review: I manifested a pop album and we got a [electro] pop album!!!! YAS KWEEN! I seriously enjoyed this album. It was funky, fresh, unique, and FUN. First 75% was a lil more enjoyable for me than the last couple songs. Flutes is DEF my favorite from the bunch (knew it beforehand tho; what can I say, I have great taste). Wish we were scoring between 1-10 so I could give this an 8.5. I guess I’ll just have to do a 4 here. ok bye!!

Ok when this album came up, I was like who is choosing these albums, they’re so random! But I actually really enjoyed hot chip and all their weirdness. It’s too much to listen to a full album back to back, but I think I’d enjoy a few songs from the album at random. I googled them- British band which makes sense, and I loved that they are the self proclaimed “thinking person's party band.” Am I a hot chip fan now?

chill and vibey. Wood give another listen.

Eh, doesn't stand out.

I can’t stop listening to it, so easy and relaxed

Alright, but not too special

Ambient, funky, poppy, whimsical, sad lyrics

Cute. Clearly talented, but feels frivolous.

Look At Where We Are is a banger, the rest is good

Ok

Just don’t rate hot chip at all, album isn’t cohesive and their Melodie’s don’t slap

Reminds me a bit of sparks which is great. ***emotional***

Forcément bien puisque sorti après l'an 2000. La musique du 20ème siècle est inadaptée à nos oreilles actuelles, rendez-vous à l'évidence.

Les bons albums sont assez présents en cette fin de générateur, Robert essaye t'il d'influencer notre jugement sur son bouquin de merde ? ça ne suffira pas nous ne sommes pas dupes.

Decent electronic band, but nothing in their sound is particularly ground-breaking. If any album of theirs would warrant being in this book, it is The Warning, and even that sounds pedestrian compared to electronic dance albums being released by Justice and LCD Soundsystem in the same time frame.

Yeahhhhhh 🙌🏼

One of the best of the decade.

interesting sound. Had some 80's features to the music. I enjoyed it overall.

Pretty neat; the nasally lead voice is the only unpleasant part of the album.

sounds like disco to me

top 1000 british artist!!!(other countries not good music. behind) första låten började med samma Jarre instrumental som jag trodde att vi nästan var i framtiden.. sen började sången och popbrummandet.. varför måste det vara ett så själlöst ljud och varför måste man lägga pumptsikkapumpum-grejer överallt. .Jag gillade det fortfarande..prkl..prkl ends of the earth

Original, fresh and with some very cool theme!

.Much underrated band with excellent run of electro pop albums.

Not my style

pass

Cover Impression: Probably another British pop-type band. Kinda disappointed how close the guess was knowing nothing about the band. However there was an electronic piece I didn't expect which is nice. This is one of the newer albums I've had on the list and I'm not sure I'd have thought it would be something to revise my list for, but it is a decent album and a few moments reminded me of some other bands such as dredg and Brother. Favorite track: "Look at where we are" 3/5

I struggled with Hot Chip 10/15 years ago except for that one "Ready For The Floor" song and that's not on this, so I still struggle today, because nothing really stands out.