MGMT – Late Night Tales

Jamiroquai, Snow Patrol, Groove Armada, the Flaming Lips, – just a handful of the vast, diverse array of artists that have been approached to create a Late Night Tales compilation over it’s 10 year existence. Step forward psychedelic alt. dance rockers-MGMT, who were asked to curate the series’ latest release.

The band stay true to form here, with a collection of material that walks hand in hand with their psychedelic roots. First track Disco Inferno ‘Can’t see through it’, sending us on a journey that can only be described as a ‘trip’ through the mind of MGMT. The first 8 tracks provide us with us ‘LSD pop’ at its very finest, a sublime, surreal mixture of retro 60/70’s vocals and guitars with a more modern chill-out vibe. It is only Charlie Feathers’ ‘Mounds of Clay’,a surprising slice of Louisville-esque country ‘with a twist’, which breaks things up before we trancend back into the Alice in Wonderland dreamscape which sees us through to the album’s traditional spoken conclusion. MGMT chip in as well with a cover of the Bauhaus’ ‘All we ever wanted was everything’, which serves as one of the albums’ highlights.

25 releases strong, this regularly acclaimed series is showing no signs of waning, with the addition of MGMT somewhat of a masterstroke. Not for everyone, but for fans of Another Night/Late Night Tales, the selection is a stand out soundtrack for those looking for a superbly weighted mix with the most laidback of vibes.

By James Stapleton