A Bath Full of Ecstasy

by Hot Chip

Overview

On A Bath Full of Ecstasy, Hot Chip respond to the oppressive feel of the late 2010s with songs that aren't overtly political, but emphasize how important compassion and empathy are during hard times. If there's any band suited to deliver this message, it's Hot Chip: On albums like One Life Stand, they excelled at making music that's equally intimate and capable of filling dance floors. Their wit and tenderness have only grown over the years, and there's plenty of both on A Bath Full of Ecstasy, which feels as informed by the bandmembers' time raising their families and collaborating with Katy Perry as it does by horrors such as the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox. On the lovely album opener "Melody of Love," Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard, and company give their listeners the musical equivalent of a group hug; later, they examine just how hard it can be to stay hopeful on "Positive"'s crystal-clear synth pop. As part of the album's mission statement of reaching out, the band worked with outside producers (Philippe Zdar and Rodaidh McDonald) for the first time to help them continue the streamlining of their music that they began on Why Make Sense? The funky, percolating "Spell" -- a song they initially wrote for Perry, then kept for themselves -- harks back to "Over and Over," but where it might have spun in ever tighter circles on an earlier album, here it opens into meditative passages that throw its quirky groove into sharper relief. This reflective feel also works well on the soulful title track, which suggests that love is a substance just as mind-altering as any drug. Other highlights include "Echo," where late-'80s and early-'90s synth sounds and beats add a layer of irony to Taylor's admonition to "leave your past behind," and "Hungry Child," a slow-burning earworm that bridges classic house and the chilled-out feel of late-2010s electronic pop. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	06/21/2019
Label:	Domino
UPC:	0887828037520

Tracks

1. Melody of Love
2. Spell
3. Bath Full of Ecstasy
4. Echo
5. Hungry Child
6. Positive
7. Why Does My Mind
8. Clear Blue Skies
9. No God

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Hot Chip   Primary Artist
Sarah Jones   Drums
Prudence Taylor   Vocals (Background)
Rob Smoughton   Guitar
Philippe Zdar   Percussion
Emma Smith   Strings
Valentina Pappalardo   Vocals

Technical Credits

Mike Marsh   Mastering
Joe Goddard   Engineer
Louis Gallet   Assistant Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Benjamin Garrett   Writer
George Chung   Assistant Engineer,Engineer
Hot Chip   Composer,Producer
Mike Horner   Engineer
Philippe Zdar   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Rodaidh McDonald   Producer
Jeremy Deller   Artwork
Emma Smith   String Engineer,String Arrangements
Shuta Shinoda   Engineer
Tom Archer   Assistant Engineer
Antoine Poyeton   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer