THE MADKATT COURTSHIP ‘I Know Electrikboy’ (ffrr)

Five years on from the eponymous debut LP, Felix Da Housecat has decided to set his mutant house-electro hybrid loose on dancefloors worldwide once again. This time the Madkatt Courtship throws a few new techniques into the tried and tested mix, with impressive results.

‘Electrikboy’ showcases a thumping house and hardstep fusion, whereas ‘My Fellow Boppers’ takes on a harder techno tinged edge. ‘Open Air’ chops up chunky electro beats to generate a raw funk sound and the squelching heartbeat thump of ‘Jetsetter’ rapidly slows down and speeds up for a demented five minutes.

On the lighter side of things the album also houses the crossover hit that never was in the form of the appropriately titled ‘Cosmik Pop’- a euphoric six minute synth and filter extravaganza. An album highlight is ‘My Life Story’ where the Prince styled vocals  match anything the purple one himself has recorded in the last ten years.

Like John Carpenter on ketamine, Felix retains an epic, cinematic sound that acknowledges Georgio Moroder as a primary influence with a grateful nod to Frankie Knuckles and a knowing wink at Joey Beltram.

As the missing link between the Warehouse, Studio 54 and Atomic Jam, the Madkatt Courtship’s sound is infectious and free of pretension, keeping things rough around the edges in order to remove the deadpan clinical feel that’s tainted so many similar projects. ‘I Know Electrikboy’ is an intelligent record that retains a good time eighties vibe without regression or dewy eyed nostalgia. Jaques Le Cont take heed!