Klaxons: "Next big thing", "flavor of the month", "flag bearers of a subcultural revolution"...a lot of hype has been created around this young band in the past few months, citing them as pioneers of a new movement which has been designated as "new-rave". Knowing how things work (what goes up must come down), this means that a Klaxons backlash will probably start very soon, with cynicals and detractors already calling them sell-outs and shouting "don't believe the hype". If the "new-rave" thing associated to Klaxons started as a joke and became something out of control, that's not their fault. Fact: using instruments commonly associated with rock bands (drums, bass and guitars, lots of guitars) their music is not totally what we could link to a rave, even if the sirens are also here, along with the glowsticks in their concerts audience. Think of it as pop music in a very broad (and slightly punk) sense and with an urgent need to party, full of falsetto voices and addictive melodies. What really counts is that there's a visceral and cathartic energy from a band that clearly loves what they are doing and put all this energy in their songs and perfomances and even in their videos, photo shoots, record covers, interviews and everything associated with them, creating a very complex and complete pop universe (where we even have an enigmatic drummer that doesn't appear in pictures, interviews or videos). Citing a JG Ballard novel in their album's title is just another proof of their intelligence, also seen in their lyrics, full of surreal moments and erudite references. Now that their album has finally arrived, we'll see where they go from here. But right now, with songs so full of urgency, electrified energy and vicious hooks as these, there's not a sound and a band that better translates the present. Klaxons: the most exciting thing happening to music right now. Album of the year? Already? Maybe, but who cares? To hear at full volume until you blast your speakers. (9/10)
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