Out today on DFA records is the new, second album from Dublin’s Marcus Lambkin aka Shit Robot. Recorded in Germany and New York, the record features a whole load of guests, including LCD Soundsystem‘s Nancy Whang, Museum of Love and Luke Jenner from The Rapture, plus comedian Reggie Watts, hip-house hero Lidell Townsell and also Australian singer Holly Backler.
It wasn’t a difficult second album though, according to its protagonist “It wasn’t as tricky as I thought it was going to be,” said Lambkin. “I think my first record was pretty special because there was a lot of lucky coincidences and a lot of being in the right place at the right time, so I didn’t try to repeat it. I just tricked my brain into just making stuff and not trying to follow-up the first.
Musically it’s a good time dance music record, with dance being the operative words. Lambkin seems to have only the bright lights of the dancefloor in his mind throughout the album, not trying to be particularly current, or to stick rigidly with one style – there’s elements of electro, house, techno, even disco weaved into the musical DNA of the album, – just as long as it gets the listener dancing.
The album opens with The Secret, which features the aforementioned Reggie Watts which has this pseudo Thriller like bassline over this house disco background, similar to the even house-ier title track that Watts also features on. Both, as indeed much of the album, features these shards of piano, loops and vocal cut-ups, along with this general retro feel, with handclaps sugaring a number of the tracks.
Elsewhere, Museum of Love feature of the stuttering echo driven house of Dingbat, while things really go 1990 with Lidell Townsells contribution, Do it (right) including the language (Jack your body, anyone). In Feels Real, Luke Jenner goes all Barry Gibb, over this Organ enthused disco funk, to good effect, while Feels Like is a modern, slightly darker nod to Robyn S’ Show me Love. Nancy Whang is matter of fact in her delivery on Do That Dance, but it works, her seemingly convincing cool dragging the track along, with all of its 80’s RnB backing sounds in tow.
If it’s experimentation and dragging dance music into the future you’re looking for, you stick with your floral print jackets and neon shoes. For the rest of us looking for good time dance music, we’ll stick with Shit Robot.
Upcoming DJ shows:
22.03.14 Button Factory, Dublin, Ireland
03.05.14 The Masked Ball, Cornwall, UK
http://www.shitrobot.com/
