Music, Style & Culture

| Magazine : Online : Radio : Mobile

Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future

Album Reviews

We've heard they're going to do a DJ Shadow on us with the next album. Hip-hop anyone?

Are you quite happy living in the 21st Century? Do you quite like your iPods, hoodies and jeans? Do you feel any need to step back in time to the brightly-coloured, legging-filled, face-painting, ecstasy scene of the early 90s? No, us neither. So it's a bit annoying that the magic 'thing' that determines what your CD is called when put in to the PC labelled 'Myths Of The Near Future', yes, you guessed it, bloody 'new' 'rave'.

But, is their music substantial enough to make us forget our walking firetraps of shell suits, light-up LA Gear trainers and lollipops shaped like dummies? Muse certainly think so, having asked - twice - the boys to support them on their forthcoming Wembley Arena dates. 'Myths Of The Near Future' definitely does live up to the hype. It's jam-packed with (only!) thirty four minutes of indie dancefloor fillers, some of which are merely a heady remix away from being favourites in more dance-oriented clubs.

A complicated and intricate sound throughout, the dual vocals, fuzzy guitars, classical piano and marching drumbeat build the tension and energy in 'Two Receivers' that is sustained throughout the album. Past single 'Atlantis To Interzone' is a brilliantly exciting song that uses synths to recreate that retro club sound, leading in to the massive 'Golden Skans'; the perfect singalong song. 'Totem On The Timeline' is catchy without being annoying, fast without being frantic, and simple without being boring.

It's far more 'pop' than anyone would have you expect, and the improved recordings will probably lead thousands of grumpy scene kids to claim the trio have 'sold out', but Klaxons have created their own market, producing an album worthy of high acclaim. We've heard they're going to do a DJ Shadow on us with the next album. Hip-hop anyone? Rating: 8/10