TheBrit’s Number 9 of 2008
Miss Kittin first came to my attention when she worked with Felix da Housecat on his 2001 album Kittenz and Thee Glitz, which was one of the first electroclash albums - a genre with which she is still associated, but if anything electro house would be more appropriate now. A more substantial collaboration came that year in the form of First Album, co-written with The Hacker, compiling tracks written since 1997. It exploited her coolly detached spoken vocal style, made more enticing by her French accent. But Caroline Hervé is a DJ at heart, having mixed since 1994. Inevitably, as is the case with all DJs nowadays, this led to her debut solo album I Com in 2004 which gave her a greater opportunity to experiment and bring forth her varied musical influences. Whilst critically acclaimed, I Com was merely a launch pad for BatBox, which arrived last year.
Its cover, designed by Emily The Strange creator Rob Reger, bares black bat motifs, and this style lives deep within the sound of the album - stretching back over 25 years to its birth in house, goth and synthpop, although this is unclear from the opening track. Kittin is High retreads early Detroit techno, with splashy percussive loops, but adds sophistication via evocative vocals, sweeping ravey basslines and a blissful refrain. These gorgeously sung but wordless backing vocals, give a clue as to the main progression on this album: Miss Kittin has started singing and I wished she’d begun sooner.
Because it suits her music. She’s admitted that her music is technical and listening to many of the tracks on this album gives a strong indication that everything is assembled with care and precision. For example, the interlocking drums, clipped percussion and mangled leads of Metalhead all blend together brilliantly, whilst not forgetting the dance-floor. It would sound fairly cold were it not for the smallest vocal loops that occasionally lighten the mood. Elsewhere, at the other extreme, she demands we focus on her voice: Wash ‘n’ Dry is a ‘dust yourself off’ ballad, delivered and mixed torch-song style, and although awash with effects, it makes for a daring addition to the album. Later, final song Lightmaker is more naked, summoning comparisons with downbeat, played out Depeche Mode songs.
There’s still evidence of her earlier music. The sweat and leather post-gig romp of Solidasarockstar adds her already established vocal style to reggae techno and an incisive knowledge of how pop music works. Her influences are quite obvious, although maybe not to her: DJs have to really learn the tracks they mix and the songs she’s mixed over the past 14 years have left their mark, not merely directly, but through their own progenitors. Play Me A Tape gathers these years together then adds icy, misshapen chords to turn a song about building playlists for a loved one into something darkly romantic.
BatBox works best when Miss Kittin’s more upfront about its intents. Grace provides the first instance, applying a throbbing guitar bass-line (last used to good effect on Juliet’s album Random Order - and whatever happened to her?) to a clinically crisp prominent groove, evoking memories of late-80s goth clubs. If its mix was dirty and full of reverb you’d easily detect the musical DNA of The Sisters of Mercy. This heritage is clearer on Barefoot Tonight, her paean to live gigs, where the claps are tight and the hi-hats hiss. But Pollution of the Mind is where the collision of genres works best; using an arpeggiated, delayed synth bass to drive Teutonic rhythms which are then elevated by her cooing, dreamy vocals.
Her love of music appears more genuine than most club DJ’s turned album artists, who cynically adopt musical tricks to generate emotional responses. Consequently BatBox is better for it. Especially in its most impressive song Machine Joy. Everything is focused, club oriented and heavy, but over the top Miss Kittin half-sings her praises to the abandonment one feels when locked inside a song, either as creator or listener, only to conclude “Joy is in the rhythm of the machine.” Which is why I’ve written about it here.
Play it black.
Miss Kittin - official website
Miss Kittin - BatBox (official website, Amazon UK, Amazon US, iTunes)
