Search - Hercules & Love Affair :: Hercules & Love Affair

Standout tracks are amazing, the rest is decent

resident_out_of_touch | Schenectady, New York United States | 04/27/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Obviously the rage of NYC's dance sector upon its release, this album puts to shame its flavor of the month indie/dance/electro peers. Andy Butler, who as I understand it is the mastermind behind the project, has put together a collection of tracks that out-class the increasingly unimaginative and erroneously titled "electro" dance fad- not just building on retro synths and beats but giving them an extra dose of reality via live horns and other instrumentation. The vocals, provided variously by three singers, give the album a refreshing free-for-all sort of feel. This isn't a record label construction, or a long-struggling band that has just come into their own, rather you get the feeling that these musicians came together in a very informal way over the simple common interest of making dance music. This also gives it an "of the people" aura which I think contributes to the vicariousness of the whole thing.



I'll admit that my favorite songs are the singles- "Hercules Theme", "Blind" and "You Belong" are all where I think the group hits their stride, rocking with stupendous momentum over flawless disco basslines and airtight brass garnishes. About half the album operates at a slower pace, and I find my attention sometimes wanders during songs like "Iris" which lack the vitality of the more anthem-y tunes. I also cannot get into Kim Ann Foxman's singing. She's certainly not a bad singer, but after Antony blazing through something like "Blind" and Nomi Ruiz' performance on "You Belong", as heartbreaking as it is sensual, Kim Ann's low key murmur doesn't quite have the same vitality.



There is a definite energy behind "Blind" especially, one of those rare songs that seems to have taken on a life of its own in the hands of its creators. These are ideal dance tunes, propulsive and catchy and free of self-consciousness or stylistic contrivances. The slow tunes also allow Butler to stretch out into some interesting sound design, even if the songs themselves don't hit as hard. "Easy" forgoes the disco thump for a more leftfield and ambient approach that makes for a satisfying trip hop outing, aided by Antony's reliably engaging croon. This is certainly a divisive album as some people find it either self-indulgent or simply unpleasant to listen to, but I imagine any motivated nightlifer or dance fiend will be thrilled."