From Klaxons to Arctic Monkeys, Peaches to Florence James Ford is the man twiddling the knobs for some of the biggest acts in music right now but in between producer duties he is also one half of Simian Mobile Disco; one of the nations biggest dance acts. Returning for their second album Ford has used his impressive contacts list and recruited the likes of Beth Ditto, Hot Chip and Gruff Rhys to make guest appearances on the floor fillers more cohesive and euphoric second album.
At just ten tracks long ‘Temporary Pleasures’ isn’t around for a long time but it sure is around for a good one. A hedonistic atmosphere runs through the record at all times beginning with Super Furries’ Rhys on ‘Cream Dream’. Similar to last years Neon Neon album it’s a synth heavy retrospective with falsetto hooks and a nagging electronic pulse. From thereon in we get the amazing ‘Audacity of Huge’ featuring Brooklyn experimentalists Chris Keating of Yesayer, his charismatic appearance see him crooning lines about “a bag of Bill Murray, a Damien Hurst telephone’- it’s a surreal ode to pop culture and unrequited love and possibly one of the finest songs of the year to date. As an album that sees the act on the front cover often fading into the background (Purposefully you suspect) then the albums success relies solely on the guest stars. So acts like pointless hipsters Young Fathers and Jamie Liddell on ‘Turn Up The Dial’ and ‘Off The Map’ respectively do nothing for the album and rather take up space that more great instrumental tracks such as ‘1000 Horses Can’t Be Wrong’ could have used. However when the guest vocalists nail it they elevate the record to greatness. Beth Ditto in particular illuminates ‘Cruel Intentions’ releasing the disco diva that has lurked inside her for so long. Soulful yet eminently danceable it is better than anything on the most recent Gossip album. Similarly Alexis Taylor brings the playful rhythms of Hot Chip to the table on ‘Bad Blood’ adding afro-pop beats into the fray alongside his haunting and woozy voice.
If you’re looking for a sleek and compact party album for the Summer you could do a lot worse than ‘Temporary pleasures’ an album that should well see James Ford and Jas Shaw make a name for themselves in their own right.
7/10
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