Hoxton Square, London, mid-June 2006. The Four Horsemen of 2012 stand on a street corner this balmy evening, as chilled-in-anticipation folks-in-the-know gather on the green for a night of musical pleasures. Jamie offers a high-five and a huge grin, then points out the door to the disused school gym through which much “phat rave” fun will be had tonight before it gets shut down in the early hours…

The concept of “New Rave” went on to take over the latter half of 2006, not so much as a musical style, but a self-fulfilling attitude, a feeling – the desire to get together and throw your love at the music that’s keeping you alive, absorbing the essential happy nutrients pumped back at you. Illegal warehouse-style parties like the sauna-hot blast mentioned above became more popular and captured the media’s attention, as music fans around the country revelled in the joys of secret locations, freedom, new friends and most importantly, hot music. Inspired by Klaxons’ acid-bright clothing, the on-it kids took note, followed by the style mags. Electro, indie, rap, soul, r n’ b, prog, techno, rock and pop became more at ease in each other’s company than ever, and every band collecting kool tokens had a remix done by Simian Mobile Disco/James Ford/Matty !Wowow!/Errol Alkan…

By the start of 2007, Klaxons are a national and international success of growing proportions. As they say themselves in reference to New Rave, “We built our own pigeonhole and then, er, flew out of it”. However, presenting the way things have happily turned out as all part of the plan is not quite accurate. Despite their fantastic songs, New Rave looked in danger of engulfing the band when the day-glo ship went down. Releasing ‘Golden Skans’ just before the album was a masterstroke, showcasing their talent for creating huge, amazing pop songs with singalongness-a-plenty and a tune that gets stuck in your head at first listen. It is so made for radio.

Opening boldly with the muffled, pounding bass-heavy echo of ‘Two Receivers’, the huge spacey melancholy sound and lyrics immediately transport you into Klaxons’ preferred realm - a beautiful, sad eternal loneliness across endless galaxies of exploration and wonder:

            Eternal flow, strings to your bow, roam through the globe.

Surely contemplating the unknown realms of fantasy and possibility is a far better place to be than having dirty toilet cubicles, greasy spoon cafes frequented by junkies and prostitutes while a ruckus kicks off between shaven-headed puffa jackets rubbed in your sonic face?

‘Atlantis to Interzone’ and ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ have been re-recorded, providing avid downloaders and remix fans with yet more fine versions of the first two singles. After months of listening to these songs in several guises, I still haven’t got bored of them - they are still totally fresh, full of infectious energy, tension, speed and out-of-control excitement. ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’’s bassline, falsetto vocals and clean-yet-scuzzy production sound stronger than ever.

‘Totem on the Timeline’, previously heard as an infectious demo, is now a frantic, bass-throbbing piece of knife-wielding punk majesty. The lyrics again bring an intense mix of amazement and fear:

            At Club 18-30 I met Julius Caesar, Lady Diana and Mother Theresa…

            Signs, you know I see them all the time…

Previously unheard tracks ‘As Above, So Below’, ‘Isle of Her’ and ‘Forgotten Works’ may surprise some fans of the previous singles, but these are fantastic songs, taking influence from a myriad of styles from the 50s space-age production sounds of Joe Meek, to today and beyond. ‘Forgotten Works’ even has a funky disco feel, like how I imagine a cover of the theme to Cities of Gold should sound:

Light the bridges with the lanterns, you know something’s going to happen…

Yeah, the condor’s about to take flight in search of the ruined city, risking life and limb for glory!

It’s easy to see why Klaxons chose to cover ‘Not Over Yet’ early on in their live repertoire. It’s an amazing pop song overspilling with heartbreak and hope:

            You still want me, don’t you?

Yes yes yes!

Based on the prediction that the world is due an apocalypse in just 5 years’ time, the closing ‘Four Horsemen of 2012’ is almost their theme song (especially now drummer Stefan is a permanent member of the band). It certainly gallops along like a mad Add-N-to-X robot mule, vocals teetering on off-kilter insanity.

As a fan of Klaxons, this varied, compelling, thrilling album surpasses my expectations and proves the strength of their musical and song writing abilities.

Catch that pony ride on time…!

(4˝/5)