From the Avalanches, to AC/DC and especially to Kylie Minogue, Australian exports always manage to capture my man Roger Yamaha's heart. So when we got in this "Future(1) " single by Melbourne's Cut Copy, it wasn't hard to guess who would be first in line to cop one. I can't blame him though. The quartet's slightly electro, synth-pop sound is incredibly catchy. They manage to subtly incorporate 80's production techniques while maintaining a sound that stays futuristic, thus avoiding the throwback label that many groups find themselves trying to escape these days. They further separate themselves from the pack by coming with lyrics that are interesting and a vocalist who can actually sing (as opposed to shriek), making an instrumental version unnecessary. To insure they get their point across they enlist three different groups/producers from three different countries for remix duties. The "Zongamin Remix(2) " is the most appealing, finding its sound in the simplicity of late 70's dance-rock. If you're a fan of Chromeo's Cameo-laced funk you'll appreciate their remix(3) ; and the fellas from !!! (Chk Chk Chk) offer another viable option on their almost entirely instrumental version (4). With four mixes that go in four separate directions, this is a pretty easy one to cop.

reviewed by JMS