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Review: Jack Foley
HAVING broken on to the dance scene thanks to the huge success
of their I Like The Way anthem, Bodyrockers are being
hailed as one of the hottest prospects to emerge on the dance
scene for some time.
I Like The Way combines grungy riffs and post-punk basslines
with some menacing vocals that have helped to help turn it into
the sort of hands-in-the-air anthem that is a permanent feature
of the current dance scene.
Yet it's notable for not relying on the lazy, tired beats of
David Morales and co, emerging as a hybrid of both The Chemical
Brothers and Daft Punk, with a little bit of Prodigy thrown in.
The rest of their debut album follows much the same format, though
less successfully at times.
Having hit on a winning formula, Dylan Durns and Kaz James threaten
to over-egg the pie, tossing in plenty of rock-inspired backdrops
to beef up the heady beats and jagged vocals.
Round and Round is a classic example of this given
that it could easily go into a remix of I Like The Way,
with the same sort of guitar riffs. That it emerges as a sort
of ZZ Top hybrid of Sharp Dressed Man and Legs lends it a little
more credibility and is sure to appeal to the quick-fix dance
crowd.
More encouraging is the album's opening track, Handel On
Your Face, which blends some classical music with some gritty
beats to impressive effect - although not as impressive as William
Orbit.
Dirty is a fun anthem that could have fans bellowing
out 'girl you're dirty, but you got a good heart' in the super-clubs
of Ibiza, while For One Night Only funks things up a
little to emerge as one of the definite highlights (given that
it marks something of a departure from the usual formula).
But tracks like Keep Your Boots On feel a little short
on inspiration and sound like album fillers.
The clap-happy New York City Girl contains a vibe worthy
of the Big Apple, but once again it's followed up by the really
rather average Dignity, making the debut album something
of a mixed affair that fails to justify the hype surrounding the
duo.
Bodyrockers work best in small doses. Their debut album contains
a couple of highlights but, on the whole, is a disappointing affair
that calls for them to mix it up a little bit more in the future.
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