Hercules And Love Affair

James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy's DFA stable has found gold again in this "nu" disco supergroup, the project of Brooklyn DJ Anthony Butler, that counts with the unique collaborations of female vocalist Nomi, DJ Kim Ann and Antony Hegarty, who steals the show in every track he sings, particularly the single "Blind" and the group's anthem "Hercules' Theme" -given away as a free download in their website-, looking quite comfy at taking part in more upbeat projects away from his melancholic Johnsons. The combo's self-titled debut is sonically both a faithful retro trip to disco days, recreating the typical song structures and arrangements of the genre, and a witty update enhancing it with hints and touches that nearly cover the evolution of dance music since the 70’s until now, where the specific weight of house and electronica counts as much as the original. Although not the typical disco album, based around one or two potential smashes, like most classics of the influential style the songs cannot always match the exuberant production, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable record that sounds as contemporary as you can get and has got enough standing tracks to make it last for months.  shazam