God Made Me Hardcore Label Compilations

"This Is Hardcore" Various Artists (Compilation Album, 2002)

God Made Me Hardcore

Low-fi electroclash compilation shamelessly cashing in on the latest musical flavour of the month. For the uninitiated, the electroclash sound is a contemporary take on (mostly) 80s English electronic music. Ladytron are (unwittingly) probably the most high profile exponents of the sound, but the Hardcore crew throw in a decidedly kitsch erotica element that suggests they don't take it seriously for a second.

Heading up the charge are The Droyds with a bunch of cover versions including Squeeze's Take Me I'm Yours - a track well suited to an electroclash makeover, as is Girls On Pills - their interpretation of Duran Duran's Girls On Film.  Some of the best stuff, done without the self-deprecating ingredient, comes from former Shakespeare's Sister and Bananarama chanteuse Siobhan Fahey. Her Bitter Pill uses similar components to Ladytron, wrapping them around some strong songwriting. Riviera's International Lover adds a touch of French techno dance to the mix, whilst Mugatu's blending of The Pet Shop Boys' West End Girls with the theme from John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 should be experienced just so you can say you've heard it!

Some entries work better than others and there is a surprisingly leaden beat to perhaps too many of the tracks for many of these to set dance floors alight but there are moments when the analogue sounds come together to bring memories of 1980 flooding back. For my money, I'd rather have the original stuff, but there's definitely some fun to be had between the sheets with this bunch - if you like that sort of thing sir. 6/10

Rob Dyer

Official God Made Me Hardcore website: http://www.thisishardcore.com