The International Professionals

Alphabeat “Fantastic 6” – Though the lyrics of “Fantastic 6” may register as being a bit odd at first, the song is so thrilling and camp that it’s pretty easy to just tune out the words and just go along for the ride. It sounds like the midway point between Bis and Abba, and the song effortlessly pulls the listener into its spirit of cartoon superhero triumphalism, leaving you feeling both silly and invincible by the time it’s over. The lyrics, as it turns out, mirror the sound of the song perfectly. The band are singing about some sort of international police organization that monitors our every move from outer space via sophisticated omnipresent surveillance, and protects us all from evildoers. (Part of the chorus is sung in German, and that’s where it’s all spelled out for you — they refer to “weltpolizei,” which translates to “world police.”) There are two ways to interpret the intention of this song: Either Alphabeat are being sarcastic and they are off on a “who watches the watchmen?” riff, or this is an unironic celebration of the notion of a quasi-fascist international police regime. I’m inclined to think that it’s definitely the former, but either way, their command of propaganda kitsch is potent and undeniable. (Click here to buy the inferior UK/European version of the album from Amazon UK.)

Melee Beats “Distraction” – I’m very fond of the way this track implies a depth of field within its range of sounds. Listening to the song is like watching a 3D movie — keyboard parts recede drastically behind the beat, and overlap with these cosmic Kraftwerk parts that pop so much that they seem surreal and slightly disconnected from the thumping bass line. The singer seems somewhat passive to the sound, as though he’s just sort of passing through these amazing electronic textures in a simulated physical space, just like the listener. (Click here to buy it from Melee Beats.)