German dance fiends Digitalism are back with I Love You, Dude, a collection of typically pulsating rock-tinged dance. Clocking in at a concise ten tracks, the focus this time around is more on finely crafted songs, as opposed to full-on dancefloor mentalism.
Nonetheless, there is still a decidedly frenzied core to Digitalism’s music, as evidenced on the ferocious ‘Reeperbahn’, named after their native city’s Red Light district, which has the kinetic energy of the Prodge or the Chems in full flow. Elsewhere ‘Antibiotics’ is an infectious stomper with echoes of the KLF, whilst ‘Miami Showdown’ is a gloriously gaudy chunk of pounding electroclash.
Digitalism really demonstrate their songwriting chops on the Julian Casablancas collaboration ‘Forrest Gump’, which despite being named after a fairly ropey movie is still an expertly executed piece of electro pop. I Love You, Dude certainly isn’t a classic but should still be warmly embraced by those who appreciate intelligent and stylish dance.