Mad Kit

Dat Politics are at their best when their laptops speak for them, but vocals have had an increasing presence in their shrill digital attack ever since 2002’s Plugs Plus. The vocals work to great effect when they are approached as just another element to be sampled and rearranged for rhythmic or textural effect, but when employed in the service of actual lyrics or melody, Dat Politics’ vocals aren’t up to the task (Gaetan C. Collett in particular has no business being behind a microphone). Like its predecessors, Mad Kit is hampered by an overabundance of the group’s more pop-oriented vocal quirks, but the good news is that they appear to have begun stepping away from that. Right out of the gate, “Own Thing Part 1” offers a promising glimpse of a Dat Politics that wants its audience to dance, not sing along. Here’s hoping they continue in that direction.