The beguiling grooves of Hot Chip have charmed fans and critics alike since their 2004 debut LP ‘Coming on Strong’. Over the course of four albums they’ve crossed the boundary lines of countless musical genres, wandering anywhere between lo-fi funk and ambient electronica. Despite the myriad of labels attached to their music the band are most commonly considered as ‘oddball pop’; a lazy definition that’s used by unimaginative record labels as a substitute for the descriptor ‘miscellaneous’.
Described, perhaps unkindly, as geek-chic, Hot Chip’s unique musical style has made them unlikely heroes in today’s mainstream. Despite their ‘nerdy’ image, the band has inspired countless imitators and in terms of the music industry, are one of its most lucrative anomalies. ‘Its sad that the mainstream has become this very barren area’ complains guitarist Owen Clarke, ‘in terms of singles it has really begun to cannibalize itself. Every song seems to use a rock and roll drum beat, R ‘n B synthesizers and orchestral strings… the scene is no longer vibrant or surprising.’ It’s against this bland background that Hot Chip look so ‘oddball’: ‘we do look weird when we’re judged against commercial pop bands but by our own terms I think we are very clearly a pop band.’
The band is known for their eclecticism, could this be what gives them an edge? For Hot Chip music is not so much a job, as a lifestyle: ‘when I’m not working I buy records’ quips vocalist and synth player Joe Goddard. ‘I love the calmness in a dusty old record shop. I buy music not just to DJ with but also to learn. It’s the only way I know how to unwind.’ It’s clear that this commitment and willingness to discover new sounds is a thread that twists throughout the foundations of the band; each member has such diverse tastes that it’s no wonder Hot Chip touch on almost every aspect of the musical spectrum. After hearing Owen (‘One day I’ll be listening to Motown, the next Black Sabbath and after that some minimal techno’) it becomes obvious how the band achieve such a diverse sound; an in-depth knowledge of pop music is an integral element to the band.
This undeniable passion for music and their strong pull towards originality resonates throughout their entire back catalogue. As Owen explains the band want to write without an agenda and without a genre: ‘pigeon holes are for pigeons, they’re not for people.’ With Hot Chip’s discography there is none of the stagnation or dead ends that can tarnish the careers of other artists. Although, as Owen contends, ‘we’ve always been into pop music’ there has certainly been an evolution to the band. ‘In many ways Coming on Strong was very much like most bands’ first records, we were full of ideas and also quite magpie-like.’ There was a much clearer aim with The Warning, ‘we wanted to fuse different musical styles within a single song whereas Made in the Dark was more about going in several different directions over an album. We wanted to experiment with extremes.’
But where has their latest release One Life Stand taken them? ‘This one still has the varied influences but it’s about synthesizing them together to create something that is our own.’ In many ways this could be what the band has been striving for: the exciting array of influences all ‘honed’ to a single, original product.
Described by the band’s press release as ‘warmer, deeper and more stripped back than their previous record’ there is certainly a softer atmosphere to One Life Stand that harks back to the gentle electro-soul of Coming on Strong. This could be due to the band’s homecoming, after a few years on the road the band has settled back into London life, an influence Owen is quick to acknowledge: ‘One Life Stand has a more cohesive feel, it fits better as an album. After being at home we found we were writing songs that fit together better.’ Despite the album’s accessibility and relaxed vibes for Hot Chip recording is not always an easy process: ‘If anything sounds too much like something else then we’re prepared to stop, clean the slate and start again. If anything we try to make the slate even blanker, if that’s possible.’ Joe backs up Owen: ‘We never have any plan when we record. Things happen and we try to follow the thread wherever it leads.’ And it can be a long process admits Owen: ‘We don’t go to a studio for 2 weeks and bash out songs we’ve been playing live… if anything it’s the other way round. Things take a year to grow and we harvest them at the end and make a neat, palatable meal at the end.’
One point to which Hot Chip accredit their longevity and unique sound is the freedom and independence they enjoy. The band has a hand in all aspects of their music whether it be writing, recording or producing. They even create their own artwork and are known to collaborate very closely with the video directors: ‘in a way we’re our own music industry!’ laughs Owen. ‘In general we’re not embittered by the industry and that is, to some extent, because of the freedom we allow ourselves. We keep our feet on the ground and just try to focus on where our band is going without worrying too much about the rest of the industry.’