Kitsune America

Various Artists

Kitsune Records, 2012

REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/20/2012

Perhaps the most flourishing indie label right now, French fashion/record imprint Kitsune is never short on stunning releases and seemingly never slows down. Kitsune’s latest effort is a compilation featuring some of their brightest outfits, using the occasion of their ten year anniversary to deliver this collection of indie-tronic dance anthems.

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Gigamesh, maybe the most recognizable name here, has made significant waves already with his vision of songs from Michael Jackson and The Clash. Here he reworks London pop-rock act Citizens! tune “Your Body,” taking an already dance friendly tune and making it even more club ready. Selebrites, from Brooklyn, an outfit known for their post-punk influences, contribute “Regret,” a track that clearly separates itself from most of the work here with its dark moody way. White Shadow, from Detroit, complements some rave style thumping with robust female vocals, resulting in the chilling “If You Like It.” Bedroom producer Giraffage meshes jazz and hip-hop, injecting his patented blend of samples along the way with “Even Though.” Also known for fusing many different styles, Poindexter’s “Helpless” pairs chill-wave with Gallic pop, which comes off as timeless as XXXChange’s “F*k Yeah Ace Of Hearts,” an amalgamation of electro hip-hop and booming bass.

A nice surprise is the female fronted tracks being the standouts here. Heartsrevolution, Frances Rose, and Computer Magic’s selections, despite being completely different in sound, prove to be the most memorable tunes here. Heartsrevolution brings a charged, electronic version of pop punk while Frances Rose has a more haunting feel. Computer Magic’s sound is more of a throwback to the ‘60s with a modern digital feel, birthing a very atypical yet refreshing vibe.

Seeing as most of the bands/artists here are pretty obscure, a more universal comparison to sum up this disc would be if Prince, Huggy Bear, MGMT, Yeasayer, and New Order got into a bike accident. Kitsune brought Hot Chip and Phoenix to the world, and the artists featured here are all well on their way to seeing a similar fate. Every song here is brimming with radiance.

Rating: B+

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© 2012 Tom Haugen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Kitsune Records, and is used for informational purposes only.