Hot Chip is a UK band whose members grew up obsessed with Prince, funk, and old school hip-hop. When they got older, their tastes evolved to include rock, the whole experimental post-whatever genre, a lot of Beach Boys albums. They developed a sound that can best be described as The Go! Team on Vicodin. Their music is playful, but not TOO playful. They're more smooth than spunky.

Call them electro-soul-pop if you like, but even that doesn't do their uniqueness justice. Only Hot Chip can sound like Stevie Wonder, Madlib, and Devo all at the same time (check out their album Coming On Strong, since only hearing is believing). There's definitely an element of humor in all this (how could there not be?) and Hot Chip is well aware of it. They take their music seriously, but not themselves. Now THAT'S refreshing.

Hot Chip play Empty Bottle, Sunday, September 25th.