Back in the mists of time, before the invention of the Fairlight synthesiser, the idea of mixing politics and dance music was anathema to any right-minded member of yoof culture. Setting aside the fact that all dance music as we now know it stems originally from disco, which was necessarily politicised since it was a) black and b) hi-jacked by the (then transgressive) gay community, it’s not too surprising that the thought of mixing physical abandonment with political awareness did not compute. It was the ancient mind-body dichotomy revived and made polarising, pop-culture force and it enabled punks to wear their ‘Disco Sucks’ badges with (blinkered) pride. The dance of history, indeed.
If anyone has a grasp of that merry jig, it’s Brooklyn five-piece Radio 4, who first jerked their white, funky-assed way into UK view with an EP called – tellingly – "Dance To The Underground". They followed it up with 2002’s "Gotham", which laid down throbbing, dub-derived bass lines under funky guitar riffs, clattering percussion of a tribal intensity and darkly dramatic, new-wave-styled keyboard runs in a mini-documentary of modern life in their beloved city.
Tonight, the strikingly black-shirted collective helmed by vocalist and bass player Anthony Roman is here to remind us of its agenda and test drive the tunes of imminent, eagerly awaited sophomore LP, "Stealing Of A Nation". Roman cuts a diminutive and chunky, unlikely leading figure, but that’s undeniably a part of his band’s appeal. They crash straight in with the strident but irresistibly groovy, sonic chiaroscuro that is "Calling All Enthusiasts" – as neat a confusion of political rallying cry and party invitation as you’re ever likely to hear. It’s a fine and ferocious start, followed by cracking recent single, "Party Crashers", whose delirious, melodic whorls and flurry of polyrhythmic beats belie Roman’s attitude to the vampiric scenesters of his home town. "Your New York fashion and your put-on passion don’t seem to get you anywhere,’ he yelps, as the band appropriate Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s "Relax" by way of ESG behind him.
So far, so fine ‘n’ funky – and Radio 4 have never made any attempt to disguise their love of 80s synth-pop - but the new tracks quickly plunge the band into a now barren territory once stalked by…Simple Minds, who they appear to have latched onto rather than Joy Division. By Pigbag, who have supplanted their love of ESG and Liquid Liquid and by Big Audio Dynamite, for whom they have inexplicably traded in their love of The Clash. "Transmission" is an especially curious mix of early Simple Minds and formative U2, the likes of which was once most likely to soundtrack "The Breakfast Club". As base notes go, the band’s recent choices are frankly bewildering.
A jubilant "Dance To The Underground" almost redeems them completely in the encore, but worries about Radio 4’s aesthetic antennae linger long after the house lights have gone up. Some discreet retuning might well be in order.
