Review: Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future

Hype never ceases to amaze me. How can a band modestly hand out CD-Rs to audiences at low-profile concerts one day, and the next become the biggest selling band in the UK? It happened to the Arctic Monkeys, courtesy of our 'friends' at NME. Their catchy choruses and pessimistic outlook on city life in the UK earned them praise and comparisons to everyone's favorite band Oasis. NME has now pointed their spotlight towards New Ravers Klaxons, who take everything you've come to know and love about punk and splice it with the ecstacy-heavy big beats of rave to make "Myths of the Near Future", an album that's melodic at heart but comes on to be a heavy hitter. But comparisons to Blur? I wouldn't go that far. Lead single (and amazing tune, at that) 'Golden Skans' could've easily fit into the debut of The Good, The Bad, and the Queen, while opener 'Two Receivers' is a bit more Bloc Party. I wouldn't believe all of the hype you hear, but Klaxon's debut isn't one to miss.

Full of material that could've been on Bloc Party's sophomore effort, Klaxons seem to be on a mission to blow your eardrums into the 'lakes of Titan'. At times the loudness of the album can become a bit irritating (see 'Totems on the Timeline') but songs like 'As Above, So Below' show you that they have extreme potential as a band. They're doing rather well in Britain, thanks to the hit single 'Golden Skans', obviously the best song on the album. I actually enjoyed the album a lot, mostly due to the originality. This band seemed to spring out of nowhere with a sound reminiscent of Primal Scream, but...well, not. The sound takes a while to get used to, and it's definitely not for everyone. If you're a fan of the Arctic Monkeys, and you want to get on your 'dancing shoes' with a more beat friendly record, then "Myths" is definitely for you. If you're sick of what you're hearing on the radio that's supposed to be 'dance music', then "Myths" is definitely for you. Finally, if you're ready to dance your spacesuit off to some of the craziest music this side of the Milky Way, then you're ready for "Myths of the Near Future". Definitely a future dance classic (No pun intended.) not to be missed.

RATING: 8.8
VERDICT: Buy
Suggested Tracks: 'Golden Skans', 'Forgotten Works', 'Two Receivers', 'Gravity's Rainbow', 'As Above, So Below'
Sample:

Golden Skans