(Resist/Inertia)

This is an eclectic and interesting album from New York’s most famous gender-benders, Fischerspooner, whose vast array of influences have all been chucked together and been given a hearty stir. If this is indicative of the health of the world’s biggest city’s music scene, then get me on the first plane because I’d like to see the madness for myself! Spanning post-punk-pop, electronica, restrained pop-prettiness, weird-ass experimentia that sounds like it comes straight out of an obscure Scandinavian hamlet and dirty hip-hop monologue, it’s certainly an interesting ride.

After lying around getting battered in my car for a few weeks (thank god it still works after being buried in automotive debris) this CD sat on high rotation for several more. As a driving album goes, it works, down to the cutesy-but-spitting delivery of the likes The Fiery Furnaces ‘Single Again’ (he’d beat me he’d bang me, he swore that he’d hang me, oh I wish I was single again) and Princess Superstar’s marvellous Coochie Coo. I can’t possibly overlook Fischerspooner’s own track, Emerge, which I have annoyed the neighbours with for the past few months yet never get sick of. Tracks of note also include Bloc Party’s spooky ‘Helicopter’ and the fantastic Plastique de Reve’s ‘Rodeo Mechanique’.

Strange electronica comes courtesy of Thomas Schumacher with Ferris, Electronicats’ Bolantronic’ and Laurie Anderson’s O Superman (for Massenat – whoever he may be). But in fact, this is where things unravel slightly. I get a little lost in the haze of electronic noodling and find myself distracted imagining the beret-wearing, obscure cigarette smoking inventors of such things. Anyway, there’s more stuff to play with on this “dual disk” if you get bored: there’s a DVD on the other side! It won’t tell you about the Empire State Building or Times Square but gives insider tips on the coolest shops, hotels, bars, restaurants and more. Each section has an interactive video feature, some of which are presented by Fischerspooner. Bonus!