Following Daft Punk’s iconic performance at Coachella, it seems like the collective ears of American kids were finally open to European dance music, and, to fill the demand, there now seems to be an endless stream of electronic duos coming through the States from all corners of the globe. Take Australia, for example. Melbourne’s Cut Copy just released In Ghost Colors to critical acclaim and sold-out performances in the States; with Apocalypso, Sydney’s Presets sound hungry to do the same.
I don’t know what the Presets mean when they list “schadenfreude” as their sole influence on MySpace. If members Julian Hamilton and Kim Moye find their musical muse through perverse joy in others’ pain, they either are letting their fans off easy this time around or they really fucked up with Apocalypso. Horrible title notwithstanding, this, their sophomore effort, is a mixture of ecstatic and narcotic dance music; taken as a whole, the Presets skillfully present a brand of vocal-driven electronic pop informed by both Daft Punk and New Order that is more dance-oriented than their debut. The result is often blissfully uplifting but, at times, numbingly repetitive. That said, this is an album for the dance floor, and this being a busy weekday, I had only coffee and my imagination for springboards.
First single “My People” opens with a spasm-inducing synth bleat and before the first chorus hits, it becomes clear why the song’s been a club staple for the past few months. It’s anthemic and immediate–shut up and dance. The song is so obvious in its intentions that you can’t hold it against Hamilton and Moye for lines like “I’m here with all of my people/ Locked up with all of my people/ So let me hear you scream if you’re with me.” (Am I a bad person for thinking of the Great White tragedy when I first heard these lines?) The album’s other highlight—perhaps the album’s best song—is also its second single, “The Boy Is in Love.” The song recalls Depeche Mode fronted by the Killers, but then the falsetto chorus arrives, and you have to concede that the Presets have made a great pop song on their own merits.
The rest of the album fares well for what it is: music made for the dance floor. However, Hamilton’s voice becomes aggravating as the tracks progress. “Together” is almost a great song, strutting through the club with MSTRKRFT-like synth loops, bouncy bass that bites the ass, and randy clipped moans that are as sexy as they are startling. But then Hamilton comes in halfway through singing, “Who do we think we are/ Running around all sweaty?” It’s an absurd lyric, even by dance-music standards, and his delivery is so over-the-top that it almost ruins the song. Then again, when it comes to electronic music, I’m firmly a fan of “less-is-more” when it comes to vocals. Thankfully, towards the end of the album, “Anywhere” shows that Hamilton is capable of singing in a detached, lower register. Coupled with the minimalist production, the song is an unexpected treat; fittingly, the song’s refrain is a muted “Surprise, surprise.”
What do you call this vein of music? I’ve heard nu-rave, I’ve heard electro-pop. Well, I’ve also heard it doesn’t matter what you call it. Apocalypso is a good album that will, as the first two singles attest, go over well with fans of this hybrid genre and will no doubt fill dance floors around the world. The Presets have delivered a few great singles, but, as is the problem inherent in dance-oriented music, it’s yet to be seen whether the Presets can maintain longevity once the novelty of this genre wears off. But, right now, the guys just want us to have a good time, and criticism is always in danger of taking itself too seriously. So fuck it. Have your people call my people. Let’s meet up. We’ll dance.
