HOT CHIP. I can’t think of any other British band since New Order who have so straddled the indie-dance divide so successfully; and with such love from us listeners. They have a way with a sweet melody that gets ya, even if synthiness isn’t really your thing.
And they’ve announced they are curating the latest instalment in the brilliant and long-running LateNightTales mix series, which will be released come October 5th; in the longstanding tradition of that excellent mix series, today’s they’ve released a cover version, which will feature on the album; and they’ve plumped for a sweetly woozy take on The Velvet Underground’s plaintive “Candy Says”. Have a listen on our embed below as they morph a relatively straight take into one draped with delightfully trippy synth warmth.
Hot Chip singer Alexis Taylor had this to say about the cover: “‘Candy Says’ is a favourite of ours, and is a song that Joe and I used to perform at school concerts when Hot Chip was first beginning in the late ‘90s.
“It was nice to return to it now and make a new version of the song, paying tribute to that wonderful original Velvet Underground record.”
“’Candy Says’ is a favourite of ours, and is a song that Joe and I used to perform at school concerts when Hot Chip was first beginning in the late ‘90s. It was nice to return to it now and make a new version of the song, paying tribute to that wonderful original Velvet Underground record.”
And in compiling a LateNightTales Hot Chip join some pretty damn fine company. The series began back in 2001 as AnotherLateNight, the opening ceremony in the more than capable hands of Hull chill impresarios Fila Brazillia; since when such genii as Groove Armada, Air, Four Tet, Belle & Sebastian, Bonobo, Royksopp and Midlake have taken the reins.
Hot Chip take us on a leftfield synthy tour, with the stark beauty of Christine Vantzou, the heavy Berlin digidub of Rhythm & Sound and Fever Ray’s squelchy pop in the blend; there’ll also be tunes from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith; Alexis’ ‘other’ band, About Group, and the bliss of Nils Frahm.
As for that other LateNightTales tradition, the spoken word tale itself: this accolade goes to Alexis’ dad, who will be reading from James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake to blur our heads. Get in.
LateNightTales: Hot Chip will be released on digital, CD, trad black 2xLP and limited white vinyl 2xLP on October 2nd. There’s also boxed vinyl and CD boxes; pre-order yours here.
Express your love to Hot Chip at their website, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
