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TRACK: Nightwatcher (Show Me).

WHO: Alan Braxe. Definitely not the Pete Best of French house.

WHAT: Dance music for Frankenstein’s monster.

HYPE: “This song will scare you and want to make you have a little dance.” - Popjustice

WE SAY: So says the PR for this newbie from Mr Braxe. As one part of Stardust, the man responsible for the awesome and monstrous Intro, and part of that whole awesome Daft Punk gallic scene, he’s been there, done that, though without really clocking up the hits.

You could probably put a fiver each way on this changing that. Not only is it a departure from the silky house he has previously excelled at, it’s a bit of a departure from what everyone’s doing. “Is it electro? Is it urban? Is it pop?’ the press release asks. “Is it something that doesn’t have a name?” Seems like it. Just give it a week or two and somebody will have a name for it. I’m a bit tired or I’d have a go myself.

A contrary and evasive curio, it has got all the big boys, from Mr Tong down all hot and sweaty. A brooding, grimey piece of electro throb, it taunts familiarity, then nips off in the other direction. Firstly, it’s a dance tune that you’d be hard pushed to dance to – the beats are clipped, especially in the parts where the cheek-chewers will want it to go off – the traditional build-ups and drops. Nailing electro wasp-like fizziness onto a 4/4 template, it’s more concerned with textures and feels than anything else. Beatboxer Killa Kela provides urban gobbiness, but Braxe just breaks his words into bitesize pieces, making beat poetry ear sculptures. Realising this might get a bit annoying, up pops Fallon’s ballsy but soothing soul as a contrast to make your ears feel better. Kinda like the sushi ginger thing.

Maybe not an instant classic, but just because the mountain doesn’t come to Mohammed, doesn’t mean the mountain isn’t worth a squint.

IF YOU ONLY NEED TO KNOW ONE THING: Killa Kela, ex of Patsy Kensit, was publicly unable to resist chewing a Fruit Pastille in an advert for said product. The success of Nightwatcher may go some way to healing the pain of that failure.

WHERE CAN I GET MY HANDS ON IT: Released August 25 on Eye Industries.

FIND MORE: Read about them here

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