Hercules and Love Affair

Add Date: June 24

Artist: Hercules and Love Affair

Album: Hercules and Love Affair

Label: DFA/Mute

Genre: Electronica

Comments: The brainchild of New York DJ Andrew Butler, Hercules and Love Affair is the latest in the line of brilliant electronic acts on DFA (LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, the Juan Maclean). For added oomph, their self-titled debut, which has been out in Europe since March, is being released stateside on Mute (M83, Goldfrapp). If you've done your blogosphere homework, you already know about the overwhelmingly positive response to this record; Pitchfork Media gave it a 9.1/10, and reviewers large and small lauded it as the next big thing in American electronica. The praise is well deserved. Butler's work would be well worth your time on its own; combined with the excellent and disparate vocals from Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons), Kim Ann Foxman and Nomi, this is a spectacular record. The music draws influences from the '70s and '80s, but really could only have been made in the 21st century. Start with "Blind," "You Belong" and "Time Will;" to hear Butler's more house-leaning stuff, check out the last two tracks, "Classique #2" and "Roar," originally released as a single back in the fall.