Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

Hans-Peter Lindstrom was one of the last decades most prolific artists, forging a reputation as one of the most critically acclaimed and artistically respected producers in contemporary electronica. The undoubted highlight of his work to date remains the awe inspiring majesty of spacious beautifully and groovy I Feel Space. While he has never courted the mainstream it felt at times that his work was becoming rather too self indulgent, open ended and purposeless. Many hoped that his collaboration with Christabelle would lead to a more focused, slick and definable package, an album that his many fans (myself included) could show to the unconverted and say this is exactly why you should take heed of Hans-Peter Lindstrom. With that back drop January saw the arrival of the brilliantly named Real Life Is No Cool, Lindstrom's first statement in a new decade, would it usher in a new era in Lindstrom's artistic evolution or simply offer up more of the same?

It's immediately apparent on Real Life Is No Cool that Lindstrom's trademarks all still remain in place, his work and production remains subtle understated and sparse with the burble of album opener Looking For What immediately recalling I Feel Space. It plays tricks at first, with it's warped sampling distorting Christabelle's vocal beyond all recognition before dropping into some ice cool soft electro funk. Christabelle immediately takes centre stage and begins to steal the show, with her dead pan and occasionally haunting delivery. Looking For What is an instant standout and it's real strength is it's subtly, while Christabelle sets about a knowing ironic parody of ice cool electro, Lindstrom's beats remain understated and subversive, he never seems tempted to do too much. This becomes a theme across Real Life Is No Cool as Lindstrom provides a collection of sharp and slickly produced beats, never over producing, and he appears happy to play second fiddle, every inch of this track and this record feels natural, providing an almost metronomic presence against which Christabelle can cast herself as an ice queen sex siren. Lovesick follows quickly suit with a not so subtle nod to Justin Timberlake's superb FutureSex/Lovesounds and it's another utterly addictive low key affair that chooses subtle subversion over big hooks and huge beats.

You could be mistaken for thinking that Real Life Is No Cool is simply too cool for it's own good, it certainly starts out dripping with irony almost as if it's rolling it's eyes at the listener, but thankfully as the album develops both Lindstrom and Christabelle begin to let loose, and show that this isn't a super serious affair. Infact this feels more like a magical mystery tour through the pop, soul and funk of the 70s and 80s than an underground avante guard electro art piece. Nods to Michael Jackson lace the album from top to bottom, most prominently on Baby Can't Stop which feels like the Jackson Five have been turned into five little Daft Punk robots, only that their childish enthusiasm has been traded in for the stand offish cool of Christabelle. At times Real Life Is No Cool begins to feel like Lindstrom's answer to Daft Punk's Discovery albeit in a radically more opaque fashion. Lindstrom plays around with pop's past whether it be the Jackson Five, Donna Summer, Motown funk or faux-disco shimmer he seamlessly blends these tones and references points into his burbling groove based electronica. It gives Real Life Is No Cool a wonderful sense of balance, for every chillingly serious Music Is My Mind or Let's Practise they then cut loose with a frivolous Baby Can't Stop or So Much Fun. This well considered trade off makes this Lindstrom's most accessible effort to date.

By the time Real Life Is No Cool reaches its conclusion with the charm of High And Low, which feels like a more sophisticated but distinctly less catchy answer to Something About Us, you'll be amazed at just how fast and how smoothly this LP has flown by. This record truly feels like a well considered and coherent piece, but most importantly it feels utterly organic. This is not a phrase that is often uttered in electronica reviews, rather than placing empathises on the electronic or robotic, Real Life Is No Cool manages to feel remarkably human. It's largely achieved through Christabelle, who starts as a superhumanly cool spectre, almost like a ghost in the machine, but by the records culmination feels like a well rounded and fragile human being. The contrasting emotions between the detached Lovesick, the dancing queen-eske Baby Can't Stop and the tragic melancholy of High And Low strike a powerful and unexpected achord with the listener. Much of the credit must go to Lindstrom who never imposes, never goes over the top, allowing the beat to evolve, flow and migrate but always keeping it focused and contained; there are no thirty minute explorations of sound to test your patience here. The final product is remarkably sleek and incredibly listenable, while Real Life Is No Cool is not an album you have to hear, it doesn't have the stand out quality you look for in an album of the year, it is nonetheless a brilliant album. If your one of those people who would like to get into the daunting world of electronica but are unsure where to start, well your prayers have been answered, this is the place to start, it's as accessible as it is excellent, and make no mistakes about it, this is an excellent record.

Tracks To Download: Looking For What, Lovesick & High And Low.