Embrace return with a more stripped down approach to production and, wait, yep that's a funky bassline and head noddin' rhythm right there!
The group that once suffered comparison with Oasis and The Verve have come up with a single that bears no relation to the symphonic rock pomp of the aforementioned.
The opening bars of 'Hooligan' sound like a hip hop loop but then the guitar drops in and the distinctly Northern tones of Richard McNamara steer this in the direction of schizophrenic folk/pop/funk hybrid, closest to the genre-less creations of Beck.
When the kazoo solo kicks in - apparently they were just lying around in the studio and Richard thought that it would sound better than a guitar - we're definitely in quirk territory.
Like Beck, Embrace have hit upon an unusual sound that can't fail to catch the radio's attention. We look forward to more of the same on the forthcoming album.
