(Hussle/EMI)

Whomadewho – Tomas Barfod, Tomas Hoffding, Jeppe Kjellberg – are a Danish three-piece who managed to put themselves on the global dance music map with their EP “Two Covers for your Party”, which featured rather offbeat (in a good way) covers of Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction” and Mr. Oizo’s “Flat Beat”.  This time around they’ve put their efforts into a quirky electro-new-wave track that is a bit weird but catchy and different. 

“Your thoughts are dirty, and your clothes are too.  Just past thirty, and you don’t know what to do”, the David Byrne-esque lyrics start, and immediately I’m drawn in.  I like songs with a story – especially ones I can relate to.  Whomadewho have certainly struck a winner here – the lyrics are catchy without being annoying, and the use of acoustic guitar and real drums provides a nice loose Tiga-esque feel.  The Club Mix (and its edited little brother the Radio Mix) are fairly straight forward and, while catchy, aren’t really something I could see playing to any sort of a dancefloor. 

The Dirt Crew remix, on the other hand, is great – with just enough of an electro addition (and a heap more bottom end added to the kick drum) to make this a fun early-evening party track.  Despite its meandering tempo (118bpm) the song is neither small nor slow.  It may not get people dancing, but it’ll certainly get their feet tapping, and I’d have no reservations about playing it out early evening.

The Rapture Hushhush mix takes the subtle electro seasoning of the Dirt Crew mix and turns it up to 11.  Perhaps a bit too much so.  The tempo is bumped up 5bpm, but the lovely vocals are pushed back a bit too far in the mix for my liking.

Tomboy’s Other Adjustment is a weird, amelodic trip filled with crazy electric pianos and Dead-or-Alive style cowbells – bizarre, but it’s so weird it just could work, in a Speedcats sort of way.  I’d caution Tomboy from making many more adjustments, mind you.  I’m looking forward to trying this one out on a recovery crowd and seeing how many brains I can hurt.

The inclusion of Satisfaction (imagine the B52s playing Benny Benassi’s wedding with the bass player from Madness after a few too many vodka and Red Bull and you’re close) is a nice touch, and further illustrates what I’d already figured out by 45 seconds into the first track – it may be mostly guitar and acoustic drums, but there’s still more than enough here to keep any fan of new-wave-type electro paying attention.