Having been out of the country now for two years, I've become accustomed to ignoring the usual music press obsession with the next big star. One such "new talent" is Sarah McIntosh, who appears to have been making waves recently, as the world of music journalism searches for enough "young" synonyms to go round. Barely out of nappies and already throwing out the sort of electro-pop that Ladytron spent years perfecting, "Your Body Is A Machine" is The Good Natured's new single, inspired by those universal themes of broken relationships and A-Levels.
Musically speaking, first impressions are positive; less so the three-remix filler, but we've talked enough about that sort of thing on Whisperin' and Hollerin' for you all to know quite how infuriating a single and remix package can be in the music world. "Your Body is A Machine" is a dark, throbbing slice of electro-pop. This sort of one-woman stuff has become pretty much de rigueur recently (Ladyhawke and La Roux are two that immediately leap out), but the sombre tones and pulsing beats more readily bring to mind those Dave Sitek-sponsored Brooklynites, Telepathe. Back to The Good Natured, and we find a bass-bubbling brooder of a single that quickly fizzes into life, showing a highly dynamic side to what is actually a pretty disquieting song of (what one supposes is) boyfriend troubles ("And I can't forget the words/forgotten promises/are completely worthless"). The vocals, with a Kate Nash-esque delivery that thankfully tones down the frankly tiresome Home Counties twang, feel processed but not overly so. It's the sort of pulsing electro-pop that nevertheless just about retains an essence of humanity at its core, even if we all know that where this really belongs is that most inhumane of places, the night club.
Which leads me, with heavy heart and dragging feet, into the remix section. It would appear that three minutes and twenty-four seconds (the length of the original's single incarnation) isn't enough time for the party to get started amongst the ecstasy-ridden masses that surge and groan in those deep, neon pits of stomach-churning bass, coke-covered toilet seats and £12 bottles of beer. In any case, that's the impression garnered from the three remixes, the most tolerable of which is Baby Monster's bash, which sees the Portland outfit throw waves of crunchy electro-synths and a trancey "minimalist" breakdown (the repeated "I feel you beating" line is clearly itching for some hand-waving, fly-swatting action) at the track until you can take no more. Unfortunately, the whole remix package feels a little bit too electro-club by numbers. Repeat a bit here, mash a bit there, throw some heavy bass beat everywhere. The whole thing is liberally dusted with sparkling flashes and laser-like whizzes: this isn't a good thing. The Radioproof remix in particular gave me the most unfortunate impression of listening to the sound of a car alarm going off underwater and then being mainlined through a megaphone directly into my brain.
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Give the single a go by all means. It's really not bad. But steer clear of the remixes, unless sticky floors, obnoxious security staff and tinnitus-inducing 'music' figure in your idea of a "good night out".
The Good Natured on MySpace
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