It would be far too easy to hate on Hercules and Love Affair. They're riding an overwhelming wave of hype from cool kids, critics and every music blog you’ve ever heard of, and the reconstituted disco-meets-classic-house sound that permeates their self-titled debut is more than familiar. Flaunting overt references like U.K. dance act Erasure and Detroit pop-house legends Inner City, this is beyond stuff white people like—Hercules and Love Affair bear the burden of being what the right people like.
But cut loose the obsessive ear, and what’s left is something far beyond the sum of its parts. Haunted by the occasional wavering voice of Antony Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons), H&LA's work finds a way to bring something new to the palette. The seemingly obvious disco of “Hercules Theme” belies a rich arrangement that references Jeff Lynne’s work with Electric Light Orchestra. And even though “We Belong” might as well be a tribute to techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson and his act Inner City, the jumping bass lines and Antony’s swooping background vocal melodies reveal a maverick new producer with something of a vision. (Appropriately, Saunderson is among the first round of official remixers on the tune.)
The brainchild of New York DJ Andy Butler, H&LA are born from a lifetime of partying in the circuit. (Butler supposedly got his start spinning in a Denver leather bar at the tender age of 15.) The music ventures into mid-period Depeche Mode territory on the song “Easy,” and even touches on classic acid house on “Classique #2”. Which makes sense, as Butler seems determined to give the dance-floor kids something for their heads as well as their feet.
“I feel the best thing a DJ can do is play an exciting and informative, educational set for his audience,” he told Time Out London in March. “So that it’s challenging to the DJ and there’s a spontaneity and an excitement. But also because it’s a service to everyone if you play music that opens people’s ears and pushes things a little bit.”
Scott T. Sterling is Music editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
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