Release Date: November 8th, 2011
On the digitally released compilation Everybody Get Close, DFA labelmate The Juan MacLean once again proves the brand’s remarkable vitality— even in our post-LCD Soundsystem era. James Murphy may have come and gone, but The Juan MacLean (his real name is John MacLean) is here to ease our anxiousness.
Since debuting with Less Than Human some five years ago, MacLean has quietly released two solo efforts (2009’s The Future Will Come and 2010’s DJ-Kicks) in addition to remixing artists such as Chairlift, Matthew Dear, and the Tough Alliance. MacLean, like his DFA peers, expertly blends live instrumentation and calculated electro-magnetism. It’s infectious, and enough to make you want to bring out your dancing shoes. Well, your disco-house shoes.
How does the (digital) compilation stack up? Despite its jumbled assortment of singles and remixes, Everybody Get Close is confident and dancefloor ready; enticing with just-enough studio polish to stand on its own.
Not only do MacLean and his army of swelling synths and slick bass pick up right where James Murphy left off, they also pick up Mr. Murphy’s former players: former LCD Soundsystem vocalist Nancy Whang appears on two tracks. She fits like a glove inside the Latin piano of “Find A Way” and turns otherwise abstract “Feels So Good” into an exhilarating dance routine.
The album’s two remixes belongs to Cut Copy and Holmes Prince, who reinterpret previous MacLean tracks into club-ready bumpers. As all remixes go, these efforts are hit and miss. The Cut Copy track “Happy House” is very, well, Cut Copy, while the Holmes Price-crafted “Human Disaster” stems a bit deeper into musical abyss, recalling Joy Division at their bleakest (and least enticing).
Overall, Everybody Get Close cements The Juan MacLean’s sound, providing an accessible entry-point for newcomers. Warm, down-to-earth and oddly rejuvenating, this small collection of material makes a solid case for one of DFA’s most criminally overlooked artists.
The Juan Maclean – Everybody Get Close tracklist:
- “Find A Way”
- “Let’s Talk About Me”
- “Human Disaster” (Holmes Price Ver.)
- “When I Am With You”
- “Feel So Good”
- “Happy House” (Cut Copy Remix)
- “X2”
- “The Robot”
- “Human Disaster” (Jee Day Remix)
- “Everybody Get Close”
