On today's mix...
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours (2008)

Australian indie-electro act Cut Copy are likely the most hyped new band of the year behind Vampire Weekend, and it's easy to see why. They're fun, they toured with Daft Punk, they make cool music videos, and they're apparently unstoppable live, generating the kind of enthusiastic reactions that got Hot Chip where they are now. But Cut Copy are no Hot Chip, or not as evident on In Ghost Colours.

It's an impressive album, absolutely, full of layered songs and nice enough ideas. Like Ratatat before them, though, the whole thing can get a little monotonous. It's an album that's certainly never bad, but it's also one with few good hooks and few overall highlights. Nearly every second on this album is soaked in dreamy synthesizer, and you get the feeling that a little instrumental variation could have done wonders. "So Haunted" is striking merely because of the presence of guitars. "Hearts on Fire" adds some vocal samples recalling "It Takes Two" by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock and Britney Spears's "Piece of Me" but ultimately works by adding some "Careless Whisper"-esque horns for its climax--it's the album's most successful moment.

All things considered, while In Ghost Colours successfully combines disposable 80's pop with current indie-electro tends, its techniques and range are too narrow, ultimately at the expense of memorable music. It's worth a listen, and it's fun for the most part, but it never feels as exciting as music like this should.

7/10