Client - 'Client' (Toast Hawaii)
4/5
By: Thomas Hannan
Ah, popular music, what crazy emotions you conjure within us. Doubtless you'll already have your favourite record to dance, laugh, cry or smash things to, but now's the time to make way for an album that'll put you in an entirely different mood. With 'Client', you've got to prepare yourself for the feeling you've done something very, very naughty.
The opening track is a self-titled manifesto, lyrically setting out exactly what the record will aim (and, more importantly, succeed) to do. 'Client - we innovate, never imitate'. Not strictly true, as anyone with the slightest knowledge of the back-catalogues of Black Box Recorder, Ladytron and Adult. will testify. 'Client - satisfaction guaranteed'. That's more accurate. You're slowly being dragged into this, the sweeping synthesisers and clicking beats suddenly developing a beguiling human-form. Client are coming into focus, you think they're close enough to reach, so you give it your best shot - and then it ends with a sharp 'F**k off - don't touch me there.' That's you told, sonny.
What with the alluring sounds, hushed vocal-tones with an air of dominance and the insistence on the black overcoat uniforms, there's definitely something more than a bit sleazy and marvellously depraved about Client. Thankfully, it's one of their most addictive qualities, assuring that you'll return for occasional doses of the rough stuff time and time again. 'You're so filthy, aren't you baby?' they enquire amidst the dark pulse of 'Diary of an 18 Year Old Boy'. If that doesn't deserve a reply of 'yes, Mistress Client', nothing does.
So, Client whispers to us seductively, swear at us venomously and, occasionally, they just straight out lie to us too. Either Client A or Client B (names and who does what in this female Northern England pairing aren't deemed necessary) might profess that 'rock and roll is all I wanna do', but, in fact, current single 'Rock n Roll Machine' is about as far away from that brand of guitar-thrashing as you could get. Instead, as we've come to expect, it's very cold, bracing and electronic, but not something you'd call inhuman. The whole record might have been recorded entirely at their home on a laptop, but so much venom and emotion exist here that even lashings of beeps and clicks can't contain the humanity of it.
The more dismissive would call Client one trick ponies, but even they'd have to agree that these are some well-groomed specimens putting on a pretty impressive display. It all seems so simple, very sparse instrumentally (check 'Civillian' [sic] with its icy sound-scapes for evidence), very blunt lyrically, and combines the two with clinical efficiency. Perhaps that's its only real fault - whilst it demonstrates its ability to be deeply personal and affecting, it's still a little too dispassionate to leave room for any truly soaring moments. It doesn't even really try until a closing, half-hearted stab in the shape of 'Love All Nite' falls just short. Until then, they stick to what they're so professional at, like the drug-addled headache of 'Pills' and 'take me tonight' desperation of 'Sugar Candy Kisses'.
'Client' is a futuristic, chilly and enthralling record which suggests a number of things. One - human-beings are twisted, sordid individuals destined to screw each other up to a disco beat. Two - machines are quite possibly the future. Three - as yet, they aren't our masters. The likes of Client have still got them very firmly in their latex-gloved grasp.
Artists in this article: Client
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