9/10

When we first heard the coming together of Hot Chip member Joe Goddard and producer Raf Rundell back in 2010 for their 2 Bears project, we were introduced to a new side to the house music genre. Their basic yet irreverent approach to the genre made them one of the most interesting and enjoyable dance acts of the last decade and gave us some of the most likeable dancefloor bangers we have heard in years. So with the announcement that they will be following up their catchy debut album 'Be Strong', what have they come up with this time?

In short, 'The Night Is Young' is one of the most eclectic and varied album we have heard all year. While it's opener 'Get Out' is this progressive techno smash, it follows it with a solemn house number in the form of 'Angel (Touch Me), before moving onto the cheesy reggae cut 'Money Man'. And the variety doesn't end there as the album experiments with a whole host of other genres including disco, trip-hop and slowly emerging soundscapes. And while it may sound like this couldn't possibly work all on one album, the pair have somehow managed to keep their basic theme of joy throughout all the tracks and keep the records sound reigned in.

It certainly is a highly enjoyable return from these two. They have taken their child-like enthusiasm towards music and just run with it, resulting in a simply brilliant and well-conceived full-length.