Filthy Dukes - Nonsense In The Dark Album Review

Review of Filthy Dukes album 'Nonsense In The Dark' released through Polydor on 16th March 2009.

Filthy Dukes are Tim Lawson and Olly Dixon, DJs who still run their 'Kill Em All' club night at Fabric. Held in high esteem in the dance world, they have remixed tracks for the likes of White Lies, Bloc Party and The Maccabees, they were joined by Mark Ralph and have come up with this, their debut album. With influences from Daft Punk to Kraftwerk and guest vocals from members of Late Of The Pier and The Maccabees among others, it is a brilliantly accessible electro-dance album with an indie edge - blurring the boundaries completely.

It kicks off with This Rhythm (their previous single) which is almost an 80s techno revival track with a great beat, setting the tone for the album. Messages featuring Tommy Sparks and is a fantastically catchy electro track with looping melodic vocals and a great hook. The stand out number on the album is the title track, Nonsense In The Dark. It is a brilliant indie-tinged electro track with soft guitar overlaying the electronica; lyrically melancholy with beautiful vocals provided by Orlando Weeks of The Maccabees producing a real masterpiece.

The record closes with Somewhere At Sea, a slower more emotive track encompassing strings and piano, bringing you back down to earth and rounding the album off perfectly. Nonsense In The Dark will get you up and dancing as you'd expect, but it's intelligent blend of electro, dance and indie means it has so much more to offer and should be embraced whether you're a fan of dance or not.

Rating: 8/10

Robyn Burrows