LCD Soundsystem

Last fall, when Nike commissioned

LCD Soundsystem mastermind James Murphy to score a running mix, fans could all but scratch their heads. Did the aerobic-inspired music signal Murphy's commitment to a healthier lifestyle, or, like any hipster worth their weight in disaffectedness, had the sportswear behemoth merely embraced irony by recruiting the pudgy dance-punk pioneer? One year later, the recent reissue of LCD's brilliant 45:33 does nothing to answer that question, but rather remains an enigmatic slice of funk from the virtuoso producer.

Overshadowed by LCD's vocal-driven, rock-friendly and critically adored Sound of Silver (released in March of '07), 45:33 feels like a little record—a collection of scraps Murphy was kind enough to pick up off his studio floor and weave together into a 45-minute mix. But that's not to say this record didn't warrant a pressing; on the contrary, it seems to have given Murphy enough space to truly channel his inner club kid.

Sure, with its driving build-up, peak plateau time and ambient comedown, 45:33 could be dismissed as a novelty, a perfect mix for runners intent on synching music to their workout's intensity. But 45:33 is also perhaps the most perfect party-starting record of the past few years. From the piano-driven, Chicago house opener (replete with cheeky taunt, "shame on you!") all the way through its climactic, bass-driven space journey, Murphy's mix pulses with an infectious blend of knee-jerking grooves and pure disco soul. In fact, a ten-minute, mid-record stretch full of horns, keys, seductive backup vocals and psychedelic ruminations ranks with the New York-based producer's finest work, and for the man behind such ground-breaking and genre-defining singles as "Losing My Edge" and "Yeah," that's saying a lot.

While 45:33 does suffer from a rather long and ethereal comedown, especially for such a revved-up record, there's nary a misstep in the first 37 minutes—how many "great" albums can claim such consistency?

—James Jung
11.16.07