United State of Electronica - U.S.E.

There are times when we pride ourselves on our alternative music tastes, whether it is some new group from India playing neo-classical drum & bass or a live recording of forty people playing forty different organs, but then there are moments of such unadulterated bliss in which you find yourself saying "I love pop music, I really do." U.S.E by United State of Electronica is one of those unadorned moments that continue to show the power of pop music's potential.

Darlings, it would be easy to label this group as an indie version of Daft Punk (due to their reliance on vocoders and filter-disco beats) or this year's version of Junior Senior (due to the instantly gratifying pop thrills of each songs), but that would belie the ridiculous amount of exuberance, fun, and craftsmanship United State of Electronica has put into every track on their debut album. The sheer density in such standout songs like "Emerald City", "La Disocteca", and "Climbs the Walls" can sonically overwhelm you in a way that is usually only reserved for Basement Jaxx albums.

With its abundance of anthemic hooks, cheery backing vocals, and consistently upbeat rhythms, "U.S.E." is the kind of summer album you could put on at the beach, at home, or in the office to instantly cheer you up. We can not live on celebratory hedonism alone, but there are moments like this where it feels like life *should* be one big party.

PS - This album is available to download for free at mannheim worldwide.