CD, Reissue Magnetism Recording Company (2015) UK As the electro indie rock movement was blowing up in 2007 with everyone from the Klaxons to Justice getting plenty of press, German duo Digitalism declared they had been working on the idea of an "electronica garage band" for a while now, unaware they'd soon be swallowed by a scene. Their debut album suggests they're telling the truth and further implies they are unaware of much post-Daft Punk dance music, although a series of 12"s with cutting-edge remixers has proven otherwise. The A-sides of those glorious 12s are all present on Idealism, an exciting, well-crafted debut that, like Daft Punk's Homework, is an instant thrill with plenty of reasons to return again and again. "Idealistic," "Zdarlight," and "Jupiter Room" are the three killer slices of fat-bottom bass, ripping synths, and filtered, French-flavored house on which this duo staked its claim. Getting them all together already gives the album great worth, but when you add fourth single "Pogo" (like Hot Chip with much more guts) and key track "Digitalism in Cairo" (an extra-choppy re-edit of the Cure's "Fire in Cairo"), the rest could be filler and you wouldn't mind much. The good news is there isn't any filler at all, and Digitalism go the extra mile by considering the album and designing a full-length that ebbs and flows. Sometimes it's electronic music you can rock to, sometimes it's neo-disco tech-house you can sing with, but it's always the fringe of dance-pop at its peak put together in a razor-sharp package. - David Jeffries
