Simian Mobile Disco – Delicacies (Delicacies)
Part of what drew me to UK duo Simian Mobile Disco, who formed in 2005, was the support they were getting from acts worldwide. Their early single “Hustler,” with remixes from heavy hitters A-Trak, Armand van Helden, and Jesse Rose, propelled the tune and the duo into being club favorites. The catchy vocals and highly skilled production efforts on their first two studio albums allowed for the listener to be easily hooked. However, their third studio album surprises listeners with a drastic turn from their highly regarded 2009 album, Temporary Pleasure.
Simian Mobile Disco – Delicacies (Delicacies)
Part of what drew me to UK duo Simian Mobile Disco, who formed in 2005, was the support they were getting from acts worldwide. Their early single “Hustler,” with remixes from heavy hitters A-Trak, Armand van Helden, and Jesse Rose, propelled the tune and the duo into being club favorites. The catchy vocals and highly skilled production efforts on their first two studio albums allowed for the listener to be easily hooked. However, their third studio album surprises listeners with a drastic turn from their highly regarded 2009 album, Temporary Pleasure.
In an endeavor not common in the catalogue of successful musicians, Simian Mobile Disco have decided to drop the accessible style of their first two albums, and to expand on their techno-heavy roots. With extended song times, the deletion of all vocals, and doubling up on their techno roots, Delicacies is a pretty radical step for the average listener. Those who don’t dabble in the “harder to listen” electronic genres might find it rather difficult to listen to.
I heard the first songs released from Delicacies before Simian Mobile Disco were set to play at the U Street Music Hall in DC a few weeks ago. Those songs–“Aspic,” “Nerve Salad,” “Casu Marzu,” and “1000 Year Egg”–were all good, but I was unsure how their live performance would hold up. The performance of the tunes from Delicacies made me realize that they had the right idea in mind when they were creating these tunes. It’s clear that this is a record meant for the club scene. While there are no vocal hooks to get you singing along to every tune, there are very calculated synth loops and bass lines that are aimed to keep your feet moving.
Simian Mobile Disco proves that it does not take catchy vocal hooks and pop-influenced production to make an album that listeners of all backgrounds can enjoy. While I’m sure they have lost fans who were expecting a Temporary Pleasure (Part 2) of sorts, they gained respect and admiration from a lot more. They are staying true to themselves, and that is important. Delicacies, an album based around unusual foods they have sampled across the world, is a record for the die-hard electronic listener, the club rat who doesn’t know the name of the song he’s dancing to, and even the girl who enjoys listening to bass-lines in the comfort of her own home. All in all, Simian Mobile Disco took a risk in the creation of their latest album and it was one that you can’t help but appreciate them for.
