Nite Club – My Tronic (Tape Theory)

New York-based electronic producer / songwriter Richard Spitzer has been involved in playing music since his early teens in various prog-rock and punk bands, before going on to immerse himself in live drum and bass and raves. Spitzer debuted his electro / synth-pop-fixated Nite Club alter-ego in 2007 with his first album ‘Nu Nite’ for Japanese label Black Budget, and now two years on, this follow-up for Tape Theory ‘My Tronic’ sees him reprising the same hiphop/electro-based partycentric antics. It’s no surprise to discover that Spitzer’s previously opened for the likes of Jamie Lidell, The Rapture and Kool Keith, such is the breadth of territory covered here – indeed, you get the feeling that all three headlining bands’ demographics would be entertained by the sixteen tracks here. Throughout upbeat tracks such as ‘Left Right’s and ‘Time Fighter’ there’s a predominant focus on sturdy breakbeats, retro analogue electro synths and drum machines, as well as sheeny rnb-flavoured keyboards and vocoders – indeed, it’s no real surprise to see a fairly reverential cover of Kanye West’s ‘Good Life’ make an appearance here. The influence of the sheeny nu-soul / hiphop likes of Kanye et al is also clearly present amongst the creamy synths, phased back-up harmonies and slow beat programming of ‘License Control’, but it’s the energetic breakbeats of ‘Collection Agency (Reebok Pump Mix)’ that really hint at Spitzer’s junglist roots as his smooth pop vocals collide with day-glo analogue synths and liquid cymbals. If you’re a fan of the likes of Datarock and My Robot Friend’s similarly eighties-obsessed party electro stylings, ‘My Tronic’ is well worth investigation.