Varied and Varying In Quality
Sugary beats with an icey frosting and careening electro, Chungking's music is tasty and moreish, but definitely bad for you with echoes of Goldfrapp making it only vaguely original. The Brighton based duo are British answer to New York filthy electro with glittering melodies and languid vocals.
There are sighing and swooning melodies like, 'Love Is Here To Stay', and more playful cute dance numbers, take 'Itch & Scratch' with its pop harmonies and shimmying rhythm and the disco frenzy, 'Baby' with pulsing handclaps and searing synths.
'Stay Up Forever's vamping rhythm and lyrics about, "cosmic sun-tans" makes it a rather guilty pleasure with definite hints to 80s glory, but it's fun and harmless, so why not indulge yourself? 'Slow It Down' takes this a little far with Bee Gees-esque falsetto and a highly repetitive chorus that could storm the trashy clubs but would be no more than a hollow dance anthem. 'I <3 You' is a gorgeous crystalline melody with flowing electro backing and sweeping vocals that drift over you like a pleasant scent.
More forceful tracks, like 'Sorry' come over the best with the greatest drive coming out of the edgy vocals, on this track the jerky rhythm and deep vocals even make the tune sound a little reminiscent of No Doubt. Closer, 'Maybe It's Over' is a bit of an epic with hollering, bluesy vocals and 5 minutes of compulsive listening.
'Stay Up Forever' is an enticing mixture of cheesy 80s electro dance beats and mesmering slower tunes that wrap you in swirling synths and tender vocals, either way it's worth a listen just to decide where your feelings lie on the Brighton band's work.