Did I miss the release of a "my hipstamatic dance band" app for the iPhone in the past year or so? Seems it would be more surprising these days to hear a band who weren't toggling between the glittery disco-ball spectrum of late-'70s disco and the washed-out tint of '80s new wave. Just listening to this four-song EP from DFA vets Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser makes my septum itchy.
Static on the Wire's blend of New Order–style analog synth drifts, sing-along hooks, and mint guitar licks over stone-washed grooves is like the soundtrack to your 20-year-old dad grinding against a babe outside the powder room. But there's a reason this type of burnt-sienna-hued disco pop is still so viable when it's done right, and that reason is called dancing your tits off.
This eagerly awaited release from the New York remix heroes (MGMT, Cut Copy, Phoenix, LCD Soundsystem) proves that tomorrow's electronic music can lean back into a killer groove without having to hit you over the head with its jacked-up, techno-douche dance hammer. Think of it as a natural segue into your daily scheduled Chromeo aerobics, but without the shit-eating grin.
