By contributing writer Adam Ogushwitz

Let’s face it – one of the appealing aspects of music is it’s uncanny ability to tap into the cerebral inner workings of our minds and churn our emotional butter. You break up with your significant other and despondently listen to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” twenty times in a row.   Conversely, you  just realized that things are going well with your new flame and you are compelled to play “Walking on Sunshine.”  It’s the same reason why you frequently hear “Amazing Grace” at funerals.   Music’s gift, at times, is the sparking of the intellectual fire to facilitate soul searching.  All of this selective logical reasoning is good, but what about when you don’t want to have to dig deeper, search, or even think at all.  Certainly there has to be an aural counterpoint to Pink Floyd or Radiohead that doesn’t carry the same negative connotations that let’s say, Ace of Base does.  Enter Hercules and Love Affair.

Hercules and Love Affair is the brainchild of Brooklyn-based DJ Andy Butler, who along with a  rotating cast of musicians and vocalists merge the thumping bass lines of deep disco with the computer-generated simplicity of Kraftwerk.  Repetitive loops and catchy horns cultivate not only the uncontrollable, and very enjoyable head nod, but simultaneously seem to force the listener into what can only be described as the “spine shift,” a horizontal shimmy, if you will.  Add to this mixture airy, yet shockingly incandescent vocal melodies, which seem to dance along with the music, and you get down to the main vibe of this band – Saturday night dance party on a holiday weekend.

Their self-titled debut album, released in March 2008 on the DFA record label, oozes groove.  Whereas many electronic albums bombard listeners with brain-tickling sounds and overpowering synthesized bleeps, Hercules and Love Affair gently massage the auditory cortex  to create an almost reflex –like primal boogie.  The genius lies in the fact that the music does the talking with the vocals becoming just another instrument, not something to be dissected.  While songs like “Blind,” which won Pitchfork Magazine’s Best Song of 2008 award, and “Athene” enrapt listeners with their late 70’s disco authenticity, “Easy” will capture attention with it’s dark, minimal psychedelia.

Hercules and Love Affair released “Sidetracked: Hercules and Love Affair,” a compilation CD which kicked off Renaissance records’ new mix series on July 13. The band is currently playing shows in Europe, as well as recording tracks for their new studio album before performing at Lollapalooza in August.  Andy Butler will be performing a DJ set at the Electric Zoo Electronic Music Festival, along with label-mates James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) and Hot Chip, scheduled for September 5 and 6 at New York’s Randall’s Island Park.

Check out more at www.herculesandloveaffair.com

The following is the first post in a new Listening Room series written by contributing writer Adam Ogushwitz. Follow Adam on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ogushwitz