Beginning in 2001 as a solo project by songwriter, producer and DJ Dan Whitford, Cut Copy only started to gather significant momentum when Whitford engaged other musicians to fill out his synth and sample based dance-pop sound. The act became an eminently more visceral proposition with the addition of guitar and drums, and the resulting Bright Like Neon Love became one of the most fun and exciting dance releases of ’04.
At their best, acts like the Human League and New Order combined icy electronics and disaffected vocals to achieve a certain emotional resonance but Whitford hasn’t quite perfected the model. Rarely do these compositions expand beyond the confines of sparse synth loops and simplistic lyrical motifs. Consequently, the most impressive moments are the most densely produced. ‘Unforgettable Season’ manages to illuminate the ever-present 80’s influence with an undertone of haunting MBV-style dissonance.
Cut Copy aren’t quite as radical as they’ve been painted, however, and In Ghost Colours is unlikely to see the act as revered in dance music circles as Daft Punk or LCD Soundsystem. ‘Lights & Music’ would fit nicely on a Calvin Harris set-list while ‘Strangers In The Wind’ simply sounds far too similar to Kylie’s ‘I Believe in You’ for indie-cred comfort. But perhaps we wrongly assume that Cut Copy aspire to change your life. On this showing they seem content to merely make you want to dance.
Key Track: ‘Unforgettable Season’