Give It A Spin

That's Entertainment : Fischerspooner

In 2002, I lived in London with Lee. I worked for a bookshop tucked in the corner of St James's Park Underground Station. What I loved about working there - other than my boss and his 2IC who were genuinely wonderful, witty and yet absolutely dark and bonkers Scotsmen - was that for the first time in my life, I could buy all the English mags like Q and MOJO on the day of release, with the free CDs still gummed to the covers.

Now, in the middle of 2002, with the soccer World Cup raging on the other side of the world - Korea and Japan - and Gascoigne and London going troppo, I remember being cooped up in this little bookshop flicking through the boss' NME, bored right out of my skull but I will never forget reading this article about 'the future' of music. Sounds like a bit of a w@nk. You see, whilst the World Cup may have been raging, according to NME, Electroclash was coming to the fore as an exciting scene fusing synth pop and electro aesthetics with the visuals of punkish performance art and vocoder homages. At times promiscuous, there was a icy detachment but extravagant spontaneity and ridiculous glam to many of the performances. At the forefront, was a NY group called Fischerspooner, who was allegedly burning cash (on costumes and OTT show pieces) and literally had the NME in raptures.

Now, usually, I'm very wary of the NME. But I got caught up in their hype, and dashed out to purchase the subtly titled album, #1.

Jaw drops!!!

Seriously, if I can get Lee to listen to - nee, enjoy…like! - cold, austere electro pop…it has to be good.

Uh-huh that's right!

Emerge - the lead in single - would have to be one of the most infectious, deliciously hyper sensual synth songs of the 2000's and quite possibly ever. I mean, I'm a massive Gary Numan fan, but Emerge gives him a run for his money. But that's just scratching the surface. Make your way through the entirety of #1 and you will find gem after gem. A cover of Wire's The 15th is a delight; Tone Poem is an audio feast. All inspire my science fiction writing; a flicker of life within the automaton; the cold emptiness of a disposable pleasure fabricant.

Returning with Odyssey, they lavished listeners with Cloud, All We Are and Just Let Go three exceptional pieces of aural candy. An even more elaborate - read : expensive - tour began in Europe and the label balked when Fischerspooner planned to tour it back at home. Released from their recording contract, members went on to do other things before reconvening for 2009's Entertainment. And boy was I glad they returned. We Are Electric proved to be - to me - one of the most amazing tracks of the decade. With it's arresting, eye popping video clip, a lyrical majesty and soaring, lilting score it reaches its peak and leaves this listener breathless.

I clipped that article out of the magazine. For a long time it was tucked in to the CD cover of #1. The hype has given way to a sterling legacy.

So if you're looking for something artistically satisfying and outrageously creative whilst amazingly entertaining, Fischerspooner is your go.

And if you hang around, I bet you'll fall for them too.

Uh-huh that's right!