Note: That’s Holy FRACK on the ray-dee-oh, kiddies.

Trance dance. Well, not exactly. It’s electronica, but it’s played live, by four guys and their toys (cough laser guns): but without laptops, or loop tracks, or editing, or vocals (well, no lyrics anyway). Sayeth Pitchfork: "The band was formed with the intent of creating the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques—looping, splicing, programming and the like—of that music." The end result? Energetic, layered, inventive, hypnotic, positively engrossing stuff. “Boring at first” was how they were described to me once, and it’s true -- at first you might be put off by how repetitive the songs are, but then (the strangest thing!) you fall into them.

What is it about Holy Fuck? What is it about Holy Fuck for people (like moi) not otherwise into electronic music? All the tracks are instantly familiar -- you’ve heard six seconds, and you know where all the shouts are. I can dig that about a band. It helps that you can dance to this stuff, and dance hard. This band surges and swells like no other -- the way they handle dynamics and builds and transitions and anticipation/resolution just takes you with them, every step of the way.

These guys are fast becoming one of my modern faves. [Go see these kids live if you can. I have never in my life (okay, minus Alex Something-Greek) seen anyone look like they’re having so much fun onstage.] Do not snub this album because it’s instrumental. Do not snub this album because it’s “dance” or “electronica” or whatever-the-fuck you think you’re “not into”. Go ahead, take a chance. This may well be the greatest pickup of your life.

try: 2, 4, 9, 6, 7
no FCCs

1. lush warble drone. starts off VERY soft. a regal and melancholy (and uncharacteristic, but great) intro. despairing and beautiful. bleeds into next track.
*2. dance party! funk bass, quick-n-dirty guitar riff, grumbling crunch, new wave stylings, clean michael jackson beat.
3. bloopy synth start. midtempo groove, tinny hi-hat beat, discordant off-the-beat piano clang.
*4. melancholy, rich piano-core emo electronica -- could score the saddest gameplay of zelda ever. vaguely reminiscent of... oh god, the tarzan soundtrack.
5. speedy four-note riff, takes off after about a minute, and changes its constitution every minute on the minute thereafter. drum-centric opener, swirling warble keys, dizzying chaotic ending. by no means cohesive, but a solid excursion.
*6. sharp & darty trashcan beat, blaring horn synth, echo-back shout samples. a rocker. one hell of a title, too.
*7. super high energy. fast snare and warble keys. sweet descending loop-de-loop melody line. some shouts. awesome swells.
8. scratchy plosive electro. very slinky/smooth. mellow middle. nice indistinct vocal melody kicks in towards the end.
*9. heavy percussive synth. fucking great build to a kick-ass funk beat. haunting minor keyboard melody barely poking through the steam. complex, layered, loud.