[Sorry we're in wonk land. Thankfully, Anand posted this far out groovy rock and roll post in the morning. We're moving it up.]
Sometimes all I want is a dance song about dancing. CMYK fills the need and more with their best song, a vo-coded ode to the last dance of the night aptly named “Last Dance.” Classic Atari arpeggios lock in with a clockwork rhythm and junior boy-ims to form a euphoric pulse. It’s a perfect ending for the the night out.
The center of CMYK songs are drums, fussily constructed for maximum impact. The bass drum thuds and the claps slap the slapiest slap. It serves the music well, always underscoring T-minus’, Shorty Circuit’s and Sex Brains’ ponderous vocals with an insistent beat.
As is to be expected from a musician named Sex Brains, the songs are mostly concerned with nasty business time. “My Lady” is a syrupy dance song that is unafraid to use hot-chip-level soul vocals and puns to secure seduction. “There ain’t nobody but your body for me,” the band croons.
Don’t get me wrong here, CMYK might have a tongue in their cheek but it doesn’t belong to them. “2 by 2” glides by on blips so sensual it’s impossible to get off ironically. Here the band is focused, hushed drums contrast the baroque harmonies that headline their other songs.
It’s easy to imagine a music video that is just close ups of people biting other people’s ears; CMYK are a band about pleasure and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
CMYK play the Comet on January 15th
