Nonsense In The Dark

The Filthy Dukes love music and lots of it, from the main room meltdown of classic Chemical Brothers to the bittersweet, sad eyed melodies of The Cure. And in sensibility rather than sound, they wear their hearts on their sleeves on this lively debut. Having spent five years consolidating their position as purveyors of dark and dirty dance rock at their Fabric residency Kill Em All, they have finally cut their perfect Friday night out. There’s irresistible electrified pop à la Les Rhythm Digitales in the form of Messages, body popping hip-rock via Tupac Robot Club Rock, and sweaty 3am moments like This Rhythm, which features Late Of The Pier’s Samuel Dust. The real star of the show is the title track: a beautifully wrought piece of sombre pop featuring a truly moving vocal from The Maccabees’s Orlando Weeks. Nonsense In The Dark is a touch uneven – possibly as a result of trying to fit so much in – but it’s undeniably exciting, and that’s what every good debut should aspire to. (8)