Clor - 'Love & Pain' (Parlophone)
4/5
By: Lauren Gallagher
What happens when a bunch of frustrated nerds listen to a whole lot of 70's and 80's pioneers like Can, Talking Heads, and twiddle a few knobs and whine into a microphone? No, it's not your worst drunken nightmare, it's an experimental pack who call themselves Clor, and who are intent on making you shake.
First witnessed by yours truly when they opened for labelmates The Departure at the ICA in 2004, Clor impressed with a quirky jerkiness that boasted a sonic variety lacking in the headlining act. They incited an irresistible desire to dance, but were not easily categorised. They could not be pigeon-holed by the ghastly term 'punk funk,' nor were they 'the new Gang of Four,' nor were they the baggy revivalist grooves of Kasabian. Clor stepped up to bat with their own 'rehash' sound of electro rock; perhaps only Tom Vek might be considered a cosy contemporary (with whom they will be sharing a stage in the coming months).
'Love + Pain' captures a delectable combination of tight beeps, blips, and dreamy moments that churn into dire urgency. Think: a 'dirty', funkified Postal Service. 'Magic Touch' is just plain hilarious. Faux-Prince vocals whimper effeminately over clunky crashing beats, 'You come alive to my magic touch/ I'm wearing clothes to get me noticed/They get me noticed in a good way'; you can just see platforms, bellbottoms, and blaring bling trying to pull. Somehow seduction just doesn't seem like it's in the cards. What a camp, happy delight.
Artists in this article: Clor
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