Does It Offend You, Yeah?

by Matt Hill

The new Klaxons? Nah, these lot can actually play live…

"They're a massively derivative, unabashed shoplift of a band that grabs at everything, from the Ed Banger lot to Human League, before making an undignified dash for the door. But they're so full of instant hooks and joyous energy, it's hard to hold it against them."

"Fill me with your lies / A product of these times"

At the height of the 'new rave' (spit) explosion, when the Justice-esque instrumental overtures of Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s 'Battle Royale' were unleashed on a limited section of the public's ears, it seemed like they were set to ride the crest of the style-over-substance wave into the hearts of critics and the mainstream alike.

Unfortunately, their debut album might have come too late.

Time can be harsh and there's a funny feeling in New-Noise's tummy that, coming as it does so long after their initial impact, and following the subsequent credibility disintegration of the scene that surrounded these electro punks from Reading, long-player 'You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into' could fall down the cracks in the musical sofa. Which would be a damn shame because, in all honesty, the Klaxons second record would do well to be half as good as this.

Yes, it's massively derivative, an unabashed shoplift of an album that grabs at everything, from the Ed Banger lot to Human League, before making an undignified dash for the door. But it's so full of instant hooks and the kind of joyous energy that drips from the walls at their must-see gigs, it's hard to hold it against them. In fact, it's our most listened-to album of the year so far, bar none.

The fact that the much-heralded 'Battle Royale' is now basically reduced to an elaborate intro is key, as DIOYY? have distanced themselves from such obvious scene staples and are now liberal with their lyrics. Opener proper is the stone-clad Rapture-isms of 'With A Heavy Heart', which is the point you realise this isn't your typical dance-floor beast. But before you can get a handle on where they're going, you're thrown into the jacked-up Daft Punk of 'We Are Rockstars', currently getting a second spin to make it as a single.

Then, when we've settled into a vaguely dance tip, we're thrust into the almost Captain-like anthemic pop of 'Dawn Of The Dead' and you realise there's some Top 20 fodder in here. It's not so much an unbalanced listen as wilfully psychotic; a pill-fuelled cab ride from superclub to rock bar in under an hour. Oh, and the Death From Above 1979-tastic previous single yelps of 'Let's Make Out' are still to come…

"I can't control myself / When I see you there's no one else / When I get down all by myself / You're the one that I think of"

Now that's an anthem to teen hedonism if ever we've heard one. And when New-Noise saw them recently at a free fan-only gig at Cargo in east London, the 'kids' seemed in agreement… we think. We were too busy moshing and mincing simultaneously to really notice.

They've been quoted as saying they want to 'do' a Prodigy and release three fantastic, era-defining records and then chuck it in. They'll be lucky. This doesn't so much define an era as reappropriate its finest elements in a deliriously uncool but gloriously inventive way. Whisper it, but they could be the new Pop Will Eat Itself. Which could well leave them in trouble with their major label, but, as fully paid-up members of the Poppies fan club, won't get many complaints from us.

Yet the 'era-defining' comparison does hold true in part, as 'You Have No Idea…' neatly summarises the last year in music, from sound to style, to such an extent it could be the next Modular Records compilation – or the sole soundtrack needed for the current series of Skins. It also means it will probably be horrifically dated within nine months.

But then, have you listened to 'The Prodigy Experience' recently? Dated? Without question. Littered with fond memories you'll never forget? Certainly. Still ridiculously brilliant? Oh yes. We have another winner.

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