Generation Hexed CD

After being a staple on both Hot Chip's Greco-Roman imprint as well as at clubs and festivals for almost two years now, Colin Bailey's ghoulish, face-painted alter ego Drums of Death finally drops the debut album we've been waiting for. "Karaoke" ushers in the wave of pop-leaning electro madness with some looped and very wonky vocal drones. "Science and Reason" quickly follows and it's a chaotic mix of different drum kits, glossy synths and DOD's multi-tracked and dryly recorded vocals - similar at times to ex-Beta Band singer Steve Mason. With the vocals sounding so pleasantly unprocessed and raw for the most part, the album as a whole could almost serve as a document of the riotous live shows DOD has unleashed in the past. The punky, rough-edged quality of Bailey's vocals work a treat on "Modern Age" - sounding like Mark E. Smith on the verses and James Murphy on the choruses, over a pounding pop-rave backing. Such is the appeal of Generation Hexed, an album that seems imbued with that punk spirit of throwing everything at the wall and giving listeners an energy-packed ride

Ben Mono