Miss Kittin and The Hacker | Two

Most Likely To: induce dizziness and dismay in equal measure.

Miss Kittin and The Hacker’s story sounds like a cross between musical theater and an absurdist drama: French boy meets French girl. Both kids choose an alias and hit the decks before joining together to release a well-received dance record. So it was when Miss Kittin (Caroline Herve) and The Hacker (Michel Amato) graced the music scene during the musical blip that was electroclash. After the success of the duo’s debut, First Record, in 2001, Miss Kittin and The Hacker parted ways. Miss Kittin stayed busy as a D.J. and released I Com (2004) and Batbox (2008). The Hacker released Reves Mechanique (2004) and Ten (X) (2008) while accruing a list of production credits as long as an all-night rave.

After reuniting to release the Hometown EP in 2006 and touring in 2007, Miss Kittin and The Hacker return with Two, their second full-length release. Two’s first single, “1000 Dreams,” isn’t strong enough to anchor the record. The duo’s debut was primarily a vehicle for the single “Frank Sinatra,” in which Miss Kittin purred “Frank Sinatra is dead / he’s dead!” as she laughed maniacally. “PPPO,” Two’s other single, fails to make use of Miss Kittin’s darkly distinctive voice. The song is disappointingly weak and is just as malingering as “1000 Dreams.”

Miss Kittin and The Hacker deploy occasional bits of weirdness that worm their way into the songs. This clever approach to detail, including the swirling whistles that build to an apex on “Party in my Head” or the bubbling synths on “Electronic City,” is Two’s saving grace. The lyrics on “The Womb” perplex as they entertain: “I am the womb / I am the womb” followed by repetition of the word “E-voh-loo-tion.” The duo also includes a loose, lighthearted version of Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds.”

Two aimlessly dishes up the beats throughout its eleven tracks, and it’s a tough listen from start to finish. Lacking the crispness that defines well-executed electro-pop, one muddy song blends into the next. Until, finally, Miss Kittin and The Hacker actually do repeat themselves by reprising “1000 Dreams.”

Listen to “Electronic City” from Miss Kittin and The Hacker:

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