Grotesque action flick sequel amps up the violence, lacks continuity in character appearances and storyline Apr 28, 2009
A strange amalgamation of Korean pop, '80s synth and Motown comprises the film's strange soundtrack. Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington makes yet another awkward cameo. (Daily Collegian, PA)
Personal Jesus: the second coming Apr 28, 2009
It's been 28 years since their first Top 10 hit, but Depeche Mode is back and so are the synthesizers, Simon Houpt writes ... New York 'I just can't get enough," sang Depeche Mode on their first Top 10 single, and 28 years later they're proving again that they have no interest in quitting the music game: This week saw the release of their 12th studio album, the well reviewed Sounds of the Universe. The disc sounds a little like the three main band members, now in their late 40s, look, which is... (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Metric, 'Fantasies' Apr 28, 2009
"Who'd you rather be, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones?" Haines rhapsodizes over the whirring synth swirl of "Gimme Sympathy." But why do we have to choose between winsomely orchestrated musicality and rough-hewn rock 'n' roll. "Fantasies" has both in spades. (Boston Globe)
The band, Metro Station, 'Shakes' up the teen-music scene Apr 28, 2009
Synth artist Blake Healey, 26, and drummer Anthony Improgo, 31, completed the group. The name, Metro Station is meant to symbolize the merge of the guys' geographic backgrounds and musical influences. (The Loyola Greyhound, MD)
Essentials: This weekend's live music picks Apr 17, 2009
The just-released "Begone Dull Care" is their third collection of introspective synth jams. Max Tundra opens. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Fever Ray, 'Fever Ray' Apr 13, 2009
"Fever Ray" is not quite the equal of the Knife's 2006 gem, "Silent Shout"; the pithy lyrics of that work have been subsumed by sound here, mixed underneath the bleeping, whizzing synthesizers that are its artificial heart. Andersson's voice is tampered with so that it, too, often resembles another synth, less expressive than atmospheric. (Boston Globe)
Harris knocks GaGa off top spot Apr 13, 2009
In For The Kill by London synth duo La Roux, meanwhile, climbed three places to number four. In the album chart, Kingdom of Rust, the first release from Manchester band Doves in four years, was a new entry at number two. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Shining promise dims in 'Two Suns' Apr 13, 2009
Much of Khan's blueprint remains intact - tracks like "Glass" are full of foggy synth washes, minimalist percussion, and dramatic piano sweeps - but there's nothing remotely approaching that initial promise ... When the beat kicks up on "Pearls Dream," underlying a squiggly bass synth and Khan's multitracked vocals, things pick up. (Boston Globe)
'Unstoppable' stops short of classic Apr 11, 2009
Comprised of Brann Dailor (drums, vocals), Brent Hinds (lead guitar, banjo, vocals), Bill Kelliher (guitars) and Troy Sanders (bass, bass synth, vocals), the four-piece band juxtaposes melodic soft passages with intense time changes, and muscular riffs and licks. The vocals rely less on constant screams than previous efforts but the intensity does not suffer. (Erie Times-News, PA)
Batwoman's back Apr 10, 2009
" Pop fright It helps that Khan's ambitions chime perfectly with those of Radiohead - both strive to create music that is at once innovative and commercially accessible. Although it turns out that Khan is not the best judge of her own material. I loved Kurt Cobain and I thought I was going to marry him Natasha Khan Daniel, the album's lead single, is a spooky, Stevie Nicks-inspired love song filtered through the dusty circuits of a vintage synth. It is a million miles away from the froth served... (BBC News -- Entertainment)
One Great Benefit Apr 9, 2009
For its part, his band is tight and professional-I was especially grooving on the drummer's expert shaker-playing (the drummer, by the way, also plays a synth). Next up was Ian Cooke, who I could say without exaggerating is my favorite musician in Denver-and he's up there on the list of musicians from anywhere else, too. (UCD Advocate, CO)
TV Review: Genius (BBC Two) Apr 4, 2009
Genius has its shortcomings which start with the theme music a cheery synth number - that could have been ripped straight from Tron. It is very annoying and gets worse each time it s repeated when a new entrant is revolved on to the set like a weird version of Blankety Blank. (Suite101.com)
Review: The Who Apr 3, 2009
To the brilliantly dramatic Baba O'Riley, with synth lines the Presets probably wished they'd written, or the rabble-rousing, hackle-raising Won't Get Fooled Again. This line-up is prone to strange flights of fancy - even Baba O'Riley and My Generation evolve into jams that take the songs to places you wished they hadn't gone, while a lengthy Tommy medley induces the occasional yawn. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Incite a Riot: Syracuse University alums Ra Ra Riot performed new songs and old favorites at The Westcott Apr 1, 2009
The band's epileptic dancing, performed to a collage of distorted space-age synth and hardcore-informed electro, drove the 700-person crowd into fits on songs like "Progress" and "We Vibrate, We Do." Page 1 of 2. Article Tools. (Daily Orange, NY)
Sound off: Eighties inspire Chairlifts synth-pop sound Apr 1, 2009
Sound off: Eighties inspire Chairlifts synth-pop sound - Kingston, MA - Kingston Reporter ... Sound off: Eighties inspire Chairlifts synth-pop sound ... Hopefully this won t get lost in the recent rush of throwback 80s synth pop, half of which is rubbish. (Kingston Mariner, MA)
Ryksopp: "Junior" Apr 1, 2009
The first track on the album, "Happy Up Here," begins with a playful laugh, a funk-lined synth beat, and, after thirty seconds of upbeat electronica, the laidback repeating lyric "You know I really like it.". Similar to "Time to Pretend" on last year's "Oracular Spectacular," "Happy Up Here" jumpstarts the album with the notion that the new Ryksopp release is going to be fun. (Daily Orange, NY)
Random Sampling: Chairlift's album transcends labels Mar 27, 2009
"Planet Health" (2) - Easily besting "Bruises" with its expert filtering of late-20th century Asian pop through Book of Love (and perhaps Thompson Twins), "Planet Health" couples nostalgic melodies and synth sounds with silly school-inspired couplets about the food pyramid and fire safety ("Gotta stop, drop and roll ... out the fire!") ... If anything, Chairlift's "Does You Inspire You" is largely an evocative tour-de-force of the synthesizer-fueled pop of the 1970s and '80s. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Peter Bjorn & John overcome train wreck SXSW show Mar 25, 2009
They'll play a punk song amid a set of synth pop. Drummer John Eriksson says he likes "mayhem and mistakes" and even would have enjoyed being in the audience for their train wreck show. Peter Bjorn and John emerged in 2006 with their third album "Writer's Block," which carried the infectious hit single "Young Folks," (even Kanye West sampled it). (Waterloo Courier, IO)
Review: Lotus Plaza Mar 25, 2009
"A Threaded Needle" expressively ends the album with a combination of synth and distortion reminiscent of the masterful "T 00001D83 wilight at Carbon Lake" on "Microcastles."The main issue with "The Floodlight Collective" is its derivative nature. While Pundt is undoubtedly talented as a solo artist, his album breaks no new ground. (Daily Orange, NY)
Cut Copy's dance music misses some 'live' feel Mar 25, 2009
Put Cut Copy in sharp suits instead of their T-shirts and untucked button-downs, and they'd be straight out of 1982, all alienated-cool synth pop with a disco beat. A few songs segued straight into one another without a break for maximum danceability. (Boston Globe)
SXSW Ends As Buzz Grows for Bands Who Impressed Mar 24, 2009
The Swedish synth pop trio Peter Bjorn and John had released several albums before the hit "Young Folks" off their 2006 album, "Writer's Block," catapulted them to indie renown. "We had kind of given up on that," said the band's lead singer Peter Moren before performing. (Newsmax)
Prince turns a brilliant sonic triple play: 3 albums in 1 day Mar 24, 2009
MPLSoUND finds Prince revisiting the synth vibe of the '80s with his outsize ego intact on tracks like (There'll Never B) Another Like Me and Ol' Skool Company, which reunites some of his Minneapolis cohorts. The sly Valentina, bouncy Q-Tip-assisted Chocolate Box and wicked No More Candy 4 U also stand out. (USA Today -- Life)
SXSW concludes 23rd annual event Mar 23, 2009
The Swedish synth pop trio Peter Bjorn and John had released several albums before the hit Young Folks off their 2006 album, Writer s Block, catapulted them to indie renown. We had kind of given up on that, said the band s lead singer Peter Moren before performing. (KHOU.com, TX)
Prince's 3-CD set is wildly uneven Mar 23, 2009
The disc starts out as an old-school romp that sounds as if Prince rolled up the rusted door of a warehouse behind Paisley Park, surveyed the dusty, vintage synth gear, and said to the posse behind him: "Fellas, let's make a funky record today.". The first few tracks could almost be mistaken for "Controversy" outtakes: You'll recognize the dry, flat pop of primitive electronic drums, campy whirl of analog keyboards and wild-eyed vocal stylings that ground an edge on Prince's early stuff. (Florida Today)
Educorock Espaol Mar 22, 2009
He also sang lead vocals, under the name Estevan, played the keyboards and did the synth programming as well as helped engineer and mix the disc. His goal in creating Educorock Espa;ol, according to the cd cover, was to motivate and reach students with a current beat [so to] eliminate lacks in specific grammatical and thematic structures. (Suite101.com)
Dark was the night Mar 21, 2009
Leader Cheetah kick off the album with a heavy Neil Young fetish on Bloodlines and the Dead Sea close it with grand gestural synth rock but in between there's some delicacy and choral power (the Middle East's Blood), a splash of anxious white-girl blues (Super Wild Horses' We Don't Believe It), Sun-period early rock (the Harpoons' Garden City), 1960s vocal pop sugar (the Maple Trail's New York) and spectral rock a-la Cat Power (Lola Flash's Psycho). And more. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Heroes to Zero Mar 21, 2009
The group, who are playing three sold-out UK shows in April, explain how they came back from the brink of splitting and how a faulty synth from eBay shaped the sound of the album ... KO: Right now, maybe synths ... How about guitars that sound like synths. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Fell on groovy days Mar 20, 2009
Beatmaker of the hour, Timbaland (who produced Scream), is hip-hops hottest property (Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, etc) today and he has his production stamp all over the song squelchy synth bass lines and strings, choir vocal backing and 1980s-approved drum machine beats. Yet, in this haze of synthetic instrumentation, Cornells voice cuts through like a hot knife through butter ... When it was needed, we added more guitars, synths, live percussion. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
The Furs know where to inflict the cuts Mar 10, 2009
But Perry's two-dimensional beats and cheesy synth touches give an electro edge to Boeckner's jangling guitar. The Furs also have a way of abruptly erasing the middle of the music, when the guitar or keyboards drop out and Boeckner is left to wail nakedly over a minimal beat. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
AR Rahman to Dileep Kumar - BE takes you down memory lane Mar 5, 2009
This was in an MRF commercial that showed the reflection of a synthesizer on the visor of the rider. That synth was borrowed by film maker Bharat Bala from Dileeps studio, when the composer was not around. (India Times)
Genghis Tron: Board Up The House Al... Feb 28, 2009
What sets them apart are the keyboards and synths, and not in the classic metal sense, but more in the realm of glitchy electronica acts such as Aphex Twin ... 5 minute long song features a slow electronic dirge punctuated by doom metal parts until guitar and synth meld together in one epic melody ... Endless Teeth mingles the grind and synth so well that eventually guitar and synth are indistinguishable from each other. (Suite101.com)
Stevie Wonder at Library of Congress Feb 25, 2009
The synth sound is that distinctive mix of harpsichord and Fender Rhodes that harks back to the great album "Music of My Mind." The rhythms here shift as the keyboard and oboe engage in a point-counterpoint. Sketches peaks with a solo on Mr. Wonder's trademark chromatic harmonica - his unmistakable playing is backed by piano as the rest of the orchestra quiets. (Insight on the News)
'Enemy' has highs, lacks focus Feb 20, 2009
In fact, they've already failed at facing that issue -- their 2006 debut, Beast Moans, was a disappointing mess of overlapping vocals, muddy synths and not a hint of direction ... The keyboard settings, such as in the intro to Krug's "Settle On Your Skin," teeter between cheap/irritating and dull/harmless, which is not quite the balance one should be looking for in a synth sound. (Daily Collegian, PA)
N.A.S.A. explores unity in all people through music Feb 19, 2009
" The songs beat features a heavy guitar crunch that obviously fits the style that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were experimenting with while recording "Show Your Bones" (Interscope, 2006), which was produced by Squeak E. Clean. The upbeat synth melody is more reminiscing of the ODB/Mariah Carey 'Fantasy Remix," and the hip-hop that was up-and-coming while Fatlip was just beginning. Squeaky E. Clean notes the artist pairings beginnings on their Myspace saying, "we never said, 'let's make a track for this... (The Suffolk Journal, MA)
Bitesize Brits: The nominees Feb 19, 2009
Brief bio: Squiggly synth rockers MGMT (pronounced "management") formed in Connecticut, before conquering student discos with their psychedelic funk. Nominated for: Best international group and album. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Review: Here We Go Again, Self-Titled Feb 18, 2009
Now with Here We Go Magic, he's limited by his penchant for synth, which fails to lend the magic he alludes to. He's at his best - or really, he's at his non-crappiest - in the last track, "Everything's Big," wailing, almost with tears in his throat, "We stuck around, 'cause nobody wanted to die." Aerial "ohs" and "ahs" paint the backdrop, along with charged cymbals, the delicate interweaving of banjos and guitars, and teetering piano keys. (Daily Orange, NY)
Beirut, 'March of the Zapotec/ Realpeople Holland' Feb 16, 2009
The rest, which is being packaged as "Realpeople Holland," was composed in Condon's bedroom and opens with a bubbly synth track called "My Night with the Prostitute From Marseille." So yes - let's get it out - there's something a little too cute going on here. Condon's self-serious delivery has always been both blessing and curse. (Boston Globe)
Franz Ferdinand, Dierks Bentley have new CDs Feb 14, 2009
The Fatboy trademarks are here (acid squelches, ska guitars, choppy oceans of synth), but theyre blended with the unique musicality of each guest. The set is reminiscent in spirit of Mark Ronsons Version (Wainwright even sounds positively Winehouse-ian on Spade), but its even better because the songs are new. (MSNBC -- Music)
Nine Inch Nails Feb 13, 2009
Since the group's 1989 debut, Pretty Hate Machine, they've been the catalyst for the movement of industrial music and hardened synth pop into the top 40, using debased drum-machine rhythms and shrieking keyboards to turn out unexpected hits. Nine Inch Nails have released eight studio albums, as well as various remix discs, which combined have sold more than 20 million copies. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Playlist: Empire of the Sun Feb 10, 2009
Parsons's synth playing is lighter than air. I discovered it a few years back and realised that people know him from his work with Pink Floyd on Dark Side of the Moon, but they have no idea how gifted he is as a solo musician. (guardian.co.uk)
Local band finding their groove Apr 1, 2008
There is also the 19 -year-old bassist Corey Vines; and the 22-year-old synth player and back-up vocalist Chris Vittetoe. Jordy, Brandon and Corey have been friends since grade school and started the band about three years ago. (East Tennessean, TN)
MUSO brings Caribou to UNH Mar 28, 2008
In the midst of this, a boy in a purple shirt was setting up a small table, which held a miniature keyboard and a slew of other synth devices; this boy ended up being the first opening act, Eat Cloud ... Vocals were mostly incoherent shouts into the toy microphone, which added intensity to the synthesized beats in the background. (The New Hampshire, NH)
Friends overshadow Flo Rida on debut CD Mar 23, 2008
CHECK OUT: Timbaland s production on Elevator is a big, bawdy synth beat with space-age sound effects and Flo Rida s rhymes about a girl with a stacked top model body. Not Yet Rated. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
After this, nothing was the same Mar 23, 2008
Composed of urgent, pulsing synthesiser chords overlaid with chanting and rapping, 'Planet Rock' seemed to spring into being wholly formed, with no antecedents, gesturing to a future of steel and silver and intergalactic spacecraft ... That the austere sounds of a German synth band could spark a revolution in New York black culture. (Guardian Unlimited)
It was a hard day's night for local bands Mar 17, 2008
FANTASY MIRRORSIan Beck, manager"It's been mind-blowing, we're all exhausted, and I don't know how I'm awake right now. We've met a lot of great people. [Synth player] Michael Potvin and I ended up DJing a blogger party. We saw [UK band] the Whip, and they were phenomenal.". EZRA FURMAN & THE HARPOONSEzra Furman, singer-guitarist. (Boston Globe)
Korg DS-10 synth for Nintendo DS - spark your own '80s electro pop ... Mar 16, 2008
Tech Digest: Korg DS-10 synth for Nintendo DS - spark your own '80s electro pop revival ... Korg DS-10 synth for Nintendo DS - spark your own '80s electro pop revival ... Classic 80s synthesizer, the Korg MS-10, is currently being recreated inside the diminutive Nintendo DS handheld console. (Mobile Digest)
My Morning Jacket Unveils New Album Track List Mar 8, 2008
Strident rockers like "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Part 1" boast unusual touches, from fluttering synth lines and multi-tracked vocal parts to chopped-up beats and electro effects on the bass and guitars. Appearing near the end of the disc, "Part 2" of the track is an eight-minute-plus mash-up of disco drumming and grandiose production unlike MMJ has ever attempted. (Billboard.com)
Our area's rich talent pool offers fodder for 12 Bands of Christmas Mar 7, 2008
What many don't realize is that before she fired up the synth, she was active in the New York underground, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Television and the Ramones and producing demos with Blondie producer Richard Gottehrer. I'd love to see her onstage, and 12 Bands seems like a perfect fit. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Rhyme and reason Mar 6, 2008
Pemberton's Afterparty Babies -- which hit the stores this week and is the follow-up to his 2006 Polaris Prize-nominated LP Breaking Kayfabe -- is a raw collection of synth tones and matter-of-fact poetic lyrics. NEW EFFORT. (Winnipeg Sun)
CD reviews (1) Mar 1, 2008
The sound is classic 90s hip-hop, gritty (Bow Down ) with those unforgettable synth riffs (Gangsta Nation ). Also included are unreleased tracks like Let it Reign and little-heard gems like Bangin. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Future's so bright Feb 27, 2008
First, she found out that Crooker's call was arranged by her roommate, Sean T. Drinkwater (aka Freezepop synthesizer player-programmer-vocalist The Other Sean T. Drinkwater) ... Now Freezepop is trying to connect to a wider audience with a new album of catchy, 80s-tinged synth-pop, Future Future Future Perfect, which was released on Sept. 25 on a label, Cordless, distributed by Rykodisc ... Enthusiasm denies Freezepop intended to echo those 80s synth acts. (Boulder Colorado Daily, CO)
How effective are the promo spots airing on local TV? Feb 27, 2008
The author: "It's got all the standards of the genre: pulsing synths and lights, an ominous voice-over, frantic editing. They're obviously emphasizing dependability and experience, but the implicit message is pretty standard. To wit: viewers WILL DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH if they don't watch." ... The author: "It's hard to highbrow in this genre, but NECN is trying. The synth washes, the little blips of light that look like sunspots, the grave, news anchor declarations. There's a deluded... (Boston Globe)
Synthesized pop revives the musical glory of the 80s Feb 26, 2008
Media Credit: MCT campusMarilyn Manson's cover versions of great 80s synth songs such as "You Spin me Right Round" hooked me onto the electric pop sound ... The crazy synthesizer-created electronic pop, the brat pack movies, the incredible fashion sense--all of it makes me warm and fuzzy inside ... However, I especially like the electric vocals and synthesizer sounds that seem to make up the majority of the popular songs. (The Loyola Greyhound, MD)
An early listen to possible future hits Feb 26, 2008
If you're Usher, you release this limp, quavery synth ballad with a dull Young Jeezy rhyme that covers well-trod ground about meeting and falling in lust with a "shawty" in da club. Why Usher didn't release the crisper Timbaland collaboration "Moving Mountains," easily found on the Web thanks to recent leaks, is a mystery. (Boston Globe)
Does New Janet Jackson Deliver? Check Her Out Live on 'GMA' Tues. Feb 25, 2008
A galactic-inspired music video complete with her signature heavily choreographed dance moves and a synth beat ushered in the Discipline's" first single, "Feedback," which was released to drum up heat for the album's Feb. 26 release. Photos WATCH JANET JACKSON PERFORM LIVE ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA ON TUESDAY, FEB. 26. Don't Call It a Comeback Hope exists that her Island Def Jam label debut will ebb her sliding sales, which dipped drastically in the aftermath of her infamous "wardrobe... (ABC News)
Seventh Tree Feb 23, 2008
Happiness carries a little bit of Bolan boogie in its synth backpack and Caravan Girl is scarily close to straightforward guitar pop, like the Cranberries but better. There is little of the tease and much less of the look-at-me manoeuvres found in Supernature, however. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
British influence at the heart of the Bravery Feb 21, 2008
That song, which proved a highlight of the Bravery's mostly sharp 60-minute set, carried all the best elements of the band's intentions: a squiggly synth line; bright guitar riff and sturdy melody; and an earnest lyric poised to connect and delivered with perfectly pained disaffection. "The Ocean," an elegant, keyboard-and-guitar-encrusted ballad that echoed the silvery majesty of the Church, was another high point from the band's latest album, "The Sun and the Moon," as was "Tyrant," a slab of... (Boston Globe)
Singer PJ Harvey chalks up a great gig at QPAC Feb 18, 2008
Like her music, Harvey doesn't stay still long enough for the audience to grow bored, using the metronome atop the piano to hypnotic effect on White Chalk, playing synth bass with drum machine for My Beautiful Leah, playing the zither on Down By the Water. But the best was yet to come in the encore, when joined by her friend and sometimes collaborator Mick Harvey, of the Bad Seeds, playing piano while she took up the acoustic guitar for the first time of the night. (Courier Mail)
Black Mountain Feb 17, 2008
Wucan is simple and excellent a popped-up funeral organ giving way to synth heaven, catchy though I cant find the catch. Evil Ways is part noise-rock, part Janes Addiction, and part Zoot-suit riot, but its sum weighs all parts out (the case for derivativeness, and isnt a good one. (Yale Herald, CT)
Rock and roll back the clock to 1984 Feb 15, 2008
Indeed, good ol' 1984, the year in which Van Halen's 1984 album dropped, subsequently causing my older brother Marc's jaw to drop over the synth loop on Jump. I clearly remember him with his Oakley sunglasses and his mullet, passing me the HEADPHONES tethered to his WALKMAN (how did we live with such limited technology. (Florida Times-Union)
The thrill continues Feb 15, 2008
The rhythmic synth bass pulse (all six notes of them) during the verse is perhaps one of the most recognisable in pop music history. But the icing on the cake has to be Prices ghoulish narration accompanied by a church organ, which momentarily takes Thriller into the realms of creepiness. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
NME Awards Tour / Leeds Feb 13, 2008
Creators of enormous dance-rock grooves that somehow combine Killing Joke, Daft Punk, the Prodigy, the Sex Pistols, with vocoders and synth lines nicked from 1983 one-hit wonder Rockwell, this four-piece are unpredictable, uncategorisable and refreshingly berserk. Their trump card is MC Morgan, an unashamed crowd-pleaser who beats a cowbell, dances like Max Wall being electrocuted and plays guitar with his teeth. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
Sink your teeth into this Feb 8, 2008
It s a chugging, mid-tempo funk groove with trainwhistle synth stabs and deep, bluesy wah guitar. It also perfectly illustrates the balance that is central to The Manimals music, between having fun with the music, keeping it tight and also pulling off the necessary soul elements to make it gritty and genuinely danceable. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
In the mood to dance Feb 5, 2008
ESSENTIAL Ready for the Floor""Every time that we walk the streets, I try my best to keep up with the beat," runs the verse to "We're Looking for a Lot of Love," the fifth track off Hot Chip's third studio album. It's familiar turf for frontman Al Taylor, who made his name grinding complex emotional equations - from sex to love to growing up - to one common denominator. In Hot Chip's world, strobe-lit and neon-hued, the dance floor is both a battleground and a stage; it's the all-encompassing... (Boston Globe)
Hot Chip, Made in the Dark Feb 1, 2008
Nonetheless, it is exactly the kind of song you can imagine her singing: devilishly catchy, every element of the song functioning as an earworm (including the odd squonky synth lines) ... Shake a Fist is a terrific, clattery thing that rattles along for most of its span like a skeleton in a closet - except it's interrupted by two minutes of pointless synth pitch-shifting noise ... In the past, the magic of remixes has enabled this to be so - most spectacularly in the case of Erol Alkan's take on... (Guardian Unlimited)
