Album: Felix Da Housecat

Kittenz and Thee Glitz (City Rockers)

Though originating from Chicago rather than Detroit, Felix Stallings Jr was one of the pioneers of American techno, spinning his own web of electronic pop through a network of pseudonymous alter-egos such as Felix Da Housecat, Electrikboy and Thee Madkatt Courtship, to which is now added Thee Glitz. Kittenz And Thee Glitz is a marvellous confection pairing the pumping, twanging 808 synth-pop sound of the early-Eighties with the icy, alienated vocal narrations of European vocalists Ms Kittin and Melistar, the whole intended as some sly commentary on our obsession with celebrity. Most of the time it sounds like Depeche Mode or Devo under the whip of some stern dominatrix, as the girls' terse observations about the lure of Hollywood and a socialite life of "Sweet seduction in a magazine/Endless pleasure in a limousine" are borne along on martial techno stomps. The ghosts of Kraftwerk and The Human League are reanimated in the blips and winning melodies of tracks like "Magic Fly" and "Happy Hour", while "Control Freaq" even seems to be built from a Devo loop. Coming closer to the present, the piano line to "Sequel2Sub" outdoes the epic-house of Robert Miles and Chicane, and when Felix hits his stride, the synth pulse and vocoder warble that is "Glitz Rock" shames "Daft Punk" with its grace and power. It's all a matter of sincerity: unlike the synth-pop pasticheurs, Felix's music isn't crippled by irony, but clearly springs from affection for the music of his youth.