Radio 4 - 'Dance To The Underground' (City Slang)
4/5
By: Thomas Hannan
Can't get enough quality rock music? Is the sound of today just not quite now enough for you? Well, my disillusioned friend, tune into Radio 4. As wonderful as it would be to mean that literally, instead of being the overly ear-friendly BBC wireless station, Radio 4 are in fact yet another assemblage of Big Apple exports to find their way onto our burgeoning scene.
But, hang on one doggone minute before you prematurely disregard this as another over-hyped disappointment, because, and get down on your knees in thanks for this, there's finally a twist. Radio 4, despite still being great at that whole post-punk thing everyone rightly loves so much, can play some mean funk at the same time. This is a band as au fait with the electronics of UNKLE and David Holmes as they are with the work of art-punks such as Gang of Four and Mission of Burma. A risky style to attempt you may think, but it's a gamble that pays off stunningly.
Where most punk relies heavily on the treble, the excellent 'Dance to the Underground' treats us to the filthiest funk bass-line you'll have heard in months, one that makes obeying the song's name a mandatory requirement and not a suggestion you've got any kind of choice over. In fact, not a lot about the tone of the song implies you have much say in anything any more: just look at the assertiveness of the title, not to mention some of those lyrics - 'Electrify, it's a new regime... We've got new arrangements for the sounds you make...' - isn't that just self-important nonsense? Well, frankly, when you're this good, it can afford to be.
Reassuringly, this is just one marvellous single from an exhilarating, if so far slightly elusive scene. The Faint (who donate their remixing skills to excellent effect on the B-Side), Liars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Rapture - if these names presently mean nothing to you, then take the next train to the underground dance. It might be slightly dark, but there's one hell of a party going on.
Artists in this article: Radio 4
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