"Electroclash is dead," you said, but you were only half-right. America sucked in and spit out the synth-singed, coke-busted electro scene in less time than any music fad in recent memory. What eventually killed electroclash was its incessant self-consciousness; it was just never having any fun. But while we were eschewing our Fischerspooner for Interpol and the Wicker Parks and Williamsburgs of the world were embracing a rock revival, Felix Da Housecat was busy moving things forward.
Devin Dazzle & The Neon Fever is giddy fun wrapped in cool mentholated plastic. It's an erratic, jaunting, unpredictable ride and a vindication of that genre Felix is most fond of. The cold, staccato beats of Kittenz and Thee Glitz have made way for warm washes of synth fuzz and beats that pack the punch of a storm-damaged korg with a crunchy styrofoam kick. Where Kittenz felt exhilaratingly inhuman, blithe with excess and hollow '80s glamour, Devon is snarky, pretentious, and slick. It's also picked up some tricks from the rock resurgence, employing plenty of guitars and a more live feel (not to mention a five-piece backing girl band that might remind you of the Donnas at 23
RPM).
Just like Kittenz, though, not everything comes together quite right. Devin has the feel of a concept album, but the murky concept refuses to make itself clear beyond Felix's tired eurotrash fixations. For such a musically potent album, it sometimes lacks something interesting to say. And while standout tracks like "Ready 2 Wear," which could be the long-awaited sequel to the Fashion TV theme song, prove Felix's worth as an absolutely essential innovator of dance music, other tracks fall victim to their creator's drive to be experimental at the cost of being fully-formed. But make no mistake; this is the most daring, catchy, and dramatic dance music you're going to hear this summer.
1. Intro
2. Rocket Ride
3. What She Wants
4. Short Skirts
5. Ready 2 Wear
6. Romantique
7. Everyone is Someone in L.A.
8. She's So D*mn Cool
9. Let Your Mind Be Your Bed
10. Watching Cars Go By
11. Hunting Season
12. Nitelife Funworld
13. Nina
14. Devin Dazzle Theme
15. Neon Human