At seven tracks long, you could quite easily quibble that this debut from New Yorkers Asa Ransom is more in the EP/mini-album bracket, but when the music is as crazed and instantly appealing as this, such statements are just churlish.
This batch of songs is made up of one part Talking Heads, one part Kasabian, one part The Rapture and one part The Faint, adding to the wealth of bands who tackle the indie-dance crossover brilliantly to create tunes with balls and beats. The joy of these songs lies initially in the schizophrenic vocals, which are expressive at all times, lurching from high pitched to menacing in a matter of six frenetic beats.
The energy on display on the likes of the slightly screechy ‘Crystal’ is both urgent and head-fucky. There are layers of things going on, most prominently held together by the high notes on the keyboard. They have a very tight operation going on that is non-too serious. The whole point seems to be to enjoy these songs, and to have a bit of a dance in the process.
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‘The Luck of Stoney’ is the standout track (in a very close race), veering from a menacing lollop to playground jeering between the verses and choruses, held together by piano and percussion. Songs like ‘Island’ are instantly loveable, with silly lyrics and a hook that grabs you by the collar and frog-marches you to the dance-floor, leaving your cynicism sat watching the beers.
It’s an accomplished, varied debut from an exceptionally tight and talented band that is diminutive in the number of tracks alone. Where all indie-dance is these days is shrill and a derivative of the success of MGMT, Asa Ransom should appeal to the beer boys and the electro-aficionados in equal measures. It certainly leaves you wanting more (not least some UK tour dates), which is exactly what it’s meant to do, right?
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