LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

After lead single "Drunk Girls" surfaced last month, I have to say I was a little bit nervous to hear LCD Soundsystem's new album, This Is Happening. Would it consist of mainstream-y sounding songs that could work in the background of some awful big budget Hollywood film? Thankfully, the answer was no and This Is Happening is another great addition to James Murphy's famed musical project. Where Sound of Silver relied on rock music, This Is Happening seems to do the opposite and explode with synths and other manufactured sound effects. Murphy is getting back to his dance roots, and it could not be a more welcome return. Opening track "Dance Yrself Clean" is a great example of this fact, starting off with a simple subdued guitar and keyboard progression and some cowbell taps, only to explode halfway through with oozing synths and Murphy getting all shouty and impassioned. "One Touch" and "I Can Change" also follow in Murphy's overall dance theme, with the former utilizing heavy percussion and shouting from keyboardist Nancy Whang, and the latter focusing on high-pitched blips and bleeps.

Still, This is Happening is not completely devoid of rock music, especially on the guitar-heavy "All I Want" that opens with screeching feedback and uses a chord progression that almost sounds like The Bends-era Radiohead at times. However, Nintendo-esque noises enter the equation during the last two minutes of the song, but somehow they combine perfectly with the guitars and Murphy's sad refrain of "All I want is your pity," proving that he is a master at combining all of his musical influences into one. It's hard to tell if This Is Happening is as good as LCD Soundsystem's two previous albums, since it's very different from both of them. But after several listens, you'll find that it doesn't even matter how it stacks up, because you haven't been able to stop listening to it regardless.

DOWNLOAD: LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening [DFA]
Recommended Tracks: "Dance Yrself Clean," "All I Want," "I Can Change," "You Wanted A Hit," "Pow Pow."