Hercules and Love Affair's self titled album has some beautiful kick to it. There are very few things in life I love. I love music, history, mythology and video games; HLA brings two of these things together for a wonderful symphony of music and voice.
As an avid lover of mythology, especially Greek and Roman, I was delighted to see a track simply named “Athene,” who of course is the Greek goddess of war, among other things. With powerful lyrics like, “Athene, not perfect but so strong/warring with her own heart/singing a woman’s song.” I admit I was blown away. The band has an array of easy going sounds with soothing lyrical tones that can both calm you and excite you at the same time. The album has somewhat of an acid jazz feel to it, kind of like genre mates M83 but with more substance and fluidity.
The first single off the album is titled “Blind” and is a wonderful song. HLA's tracks give you a story to follow and you feel the depth of the story along with the music behind it to help guide you along the way. It is powerful and energizing, but also simplistic so that it does not overwhelm the listener. With so much music out these days and good smooth music at an all time low, this is a definite listen for anyone who is looking to get into the experimental techno crowd.
I reviewed M83’s album Saturday=Youth a few months back and stated one of its problems was that it wouldn’t be something that could convert people into new listeners for the genre. HLA is a band that can do just that, as their album is easy to get lost in and simple to keep listening to over and over again.
Overall, I recommend this to anyone looking for a new experience or looking to expand their musical taste. Do not be afraid to check it out, I loved it and I have an awkward taste musically. So suck it up and try it because this is an easy pill to swallow.
"Hercules And Love Affair" is on sale March 14, 2008 from EMI/DFA.
