Caribou “Odessa”

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“Odessa,” the first single from Caribou’s upcoming LP Swim, is sexy. “Elctropop” and “disco” are often used in the description of the song, and, indeed, “Odessa” is more reminiscent of bands like Hot Chip or Hercules and Love Affair than Caribou’s previous material. A prominent bassline, a little house vibe that would make the good people of Jersey Shore proud, tender vocals, production tricks – all wrapped up into one synthy, eighties-y package. “Odessa” sounds like it is emerging from a dark place, coming to smoke a cigarette out on the street in the rain. It would have to be summertime, it would have to be sweaty, there would have to be a flickering streetlight somewhere.

Like Hot Chip and Hercules and Love Affair, Caribou’s new disco bent doesn’t focus on that hot club ecstasy so much as a weird, strangely melancholy sensuality. Added to the video – a woman stumbling and driving through fog, smoke, and ghostly, disconnected memories – “Odessa” tells a strange, captivating story of love, loss, and escape. And it works like a charm.

You can download “Odessa” below, and catch the music video after the jump:

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Caribou’s Swim is out April 20th on Merge in the US.

by Genevieve Oliver on February 21, 2010 ‡ 3 reactions