YACHT – Shangri-La
DFA
June 21, 2011

This thing was released on DFA Records, which was started by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem fame.  It’s clearly evident, because of you liked LCD Sound system (RIP), you’re gonna eat this up.  It’s not the same, but how to classify?  It’s certainly electronic, but it’s the stuff you play with a full live band, and not just stuff you make on your MacBook Pro.  But it’s not really dance-punk.

My best description, that honestly may not make sense anywhere else but in my own head, is that this might be the album you would get if 80’s synth-pop/rockers Roxette started listening to the The Rapture, Chumbuwumba, and some other random James Murphy related project, and then decided to reunite and record a new record for 2012, while keeping their soul intact.  The vocals are both male and female fronted, but backed up with a chorus that echoes the aforementioned 80’s band – possibly with some La Roux thrown in as well.

The bass on this record also wonderful – another one to certainly listen to on some good speakers.  It’s also worth mentioning that 2012 is a relative term here, because with song titles like Utopia, Beam Me Up, and Paradise Engineering, these tunes take on nothing less that an a modern, smooth, right-angles only personality.  They’re probably best listened to while sitting in Dr. Evil’s chair.

But honestly, doesn’t anyone else hear Dressed For Success or The Look all over this?

7/10

If you had to listen to two tracks:  Dystopia / I Walked Alone