After pulling off a retirement stunt that would make Cher blush, LCD Soundsystem returns with the illusory American Dream (DFA/Columbia). Although it's not as immediately irresistible as 2007's Sound of Silver or 2005's eponymous debut disc, American Dream does manage to push almost all the buttons for which LCD Soundsystem has become beloved. From the filtered clang and multitude of synths on opener "Oh Baby," James Murphy makes it clear that he's back and he means business. "Other Voices" is a funky workout featuring other voices including co-songwriter Nancy Whang. The Bowie-esque "Change Yr Mind" and "Tonite" sound good. Murphy also proves he can rock hard on "Call the Police" and "Emotional Haircut."
21st-century gay dance-music legends Hercules and Love Affair, led by Andy Butler, have a long history of collaborating with brilliant guest artists. Trans superstar Anoni (FKA Antony) could be heard on the first album, Consolidated's Mark Pistel appeared on the second, and 2014's The Feast of the Broken Heart featured gay singer-songwriter John Grant. So it's not all that surprising to hear hipster diva Sharon Van Etten on the opening title track of Omnion (Big Beat/Atlantic). The real dance party begins shortly thereafter on "Controller" and continues through "Rejoice," "Wild Child" and "Through Your Atmosphere."
Aussie electro-pop band Cut Copy cuts and copies the tropical trend on "Standing in the Field," the first track on its latest album Haiku from Zero (Astralwerks/Cutting). "Counting Down" offers a friendly embrace to 80s wave, and "Black Rainbows" is a colorful dance track.
After arriving out of nowhere and burning up the charts with "Pumped Up Kicks" from its 2011 debut album Torches, Foster the People made the mistake of deviating from what made it popular in the first place on its slumping sophomore release Supermodel. Consider it a lesson learned, as FTP returns to its rhythmic roots on Sacred Hearts Club (Columbia). "Loyal Like Sid & Nancy," "Static Space Lover" and the dance rock of "Lotus Eater" will keep the people moving.
A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic) by The War on Drugs opens with "Up All Night," one of the most remarkable dance tunes you'll hear this year. If there's any musical justice you'll be up all night, dancing to the song on repeat. The dance atmospherics don't stop there. The War on Drugs offer longer-than-average songs, including "You Don't Have To Go" and "Thinking of a Place" (clocking in at 11:11), that never bore the listener.
For more than 25 years, British trio Saint Etienne, with lead vocals by Sarah Cracknell, has been making some of the best dance music for your ears and feet in marvelously updated 60s Britpop. That's what makes Home Counties (Heavenly/PIAS) such an anomaly. The focus has shifted away from the club to the living room. Eleven of the 16 musical tracks lean towards Saint Etienne's vintage style. But the trio doesn't entirely abandon its dance-floor inclinations on "Magpie Eyes" and "Heather."
It's heartbreaking how wrong the vault-raiders got it on the posthumous Michael Jackson dance-music compilation Scream (Legacy/Epic). Recycling material from some of Jackson's most disastrous releases, including embarrassments such as Invincible (turns out he wasn't, after all), Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, and The Jacksons' Victory (the misguided album the brothers made following Michael's Thriller success), the collection overlooks far better dance-oriented material in favor of weak selections "Threatened," "Dangerous" and "Unbreakable," in which he substituted hiccups and squeals for actual singing. The White Panda Mash-Up "Blood on the Dancefloor X Dangerous" is the opposite of a bonus track.
Almost 10 years ago, Jacksonville's Black Kids' eagerly anticipated debut album received a soul-crushing review from hipster music site Pitchfork, leading to departures and side projects. The band returns with the ironically named Rookie. Black Kids bring the 21st-century version of an 80s dance party on "Iffy" and "In a Song." "V-Card" and the hilarious "Obligatory Drugs" are also vaguely 80s retro. But nothing will prepare you for the joyous dance track "Natural Born Kissers," a song so clubby you can practically taste the lip-gloss and smell the poppers.
Proving that there's more to Alaska than Sarah Palin and her clan, Portugal The Man gets all the way down and all the way funky on Woodstock (Atlantic). "Number One" incorporates elements from Richie Havens' "Freedom," the "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child" song the late singer-songwriter performed at Woodstock. "Live in the Moment" has a bouncy beat, and "Feel It Still" dances us all the way from 1966 to 86. Hips will also find "Mr. Lonely" and "Rich Friends" hard to resist.