45:33
A
-
- LCD Soundsystem
- 45:33
- DFA
-
Related Reviews
"North American Scum (Onanistic Dub)" by LCD Soundsystem
An ambitious undertaking shaped by corporate funding and thematic constraint, LCD Soundsystem's 45:33 grew out of a question posed by Nike: What kind of music proves most amenable to jogging? The answer: Disco! Or at least the kind of meaty, beaty disco that plays in the contemporary dance-rock scene.
A hit last year as a download, but out now on disc with extras, 45:33 opens on a wry note, with a sassy voice whispering "shame on you" into the ears of runners presumably not expecting an existential interdiction. From there, it drifts through a mix of original tracks that build toward a peak and then fade into a mesmerizing cool-down. Highlights among the three extra tracks include "Freak Out/Starry Eyes," a moody disco rumble with horns, and "North American Scum (Onanistic Dub)," a sassy, swirly remix of a hit from LCD Soundsystem's justly praised Sound Of Silver. LCD mastermind James Murphy took a lot of flack from indie didacts for aligning with Nike last year, but it's worth asking, no less now than then: Who else would make this good on a payday premise that just as easily could have been phoned in?
