Ever since Felix da Housecat blew our minds with Kittenz and Thee Glitz back in 2001, he’s been extremely diligent, sticking firmly to a yearly record release. Thus, 2009 brings forth his fourth studio album via Nettwerk Records entitled He Was King. As a whole, the album is heavy in influences, paying homage to artists such as Prince, while also amplifying Felix da Housecat’s trademark electro-house sound. While He Was King was intended to take the shape of a solid and contextual electronic album, the final product shows that Felix da Housecat worried less about such matters and focused more keenly on keeping his audience on the dance floor.
Full of catchy guitar riffs, 80’s electro gimmicks, and a wonderful assortment of well-placed guest vocals, He Was King is a solid dance album. That being said, the album’s repetitive use of some already overused electronic techniques might wear heavy on some, especially when considering the ever-growing number of electronic-pop records hitting the shelves these days.
He Was King starts off strong with the single “We All Wanna Be Prince”, an appropriately titled song about Prince himself that’s full of swirling synths and backed by a thumping electro beat that’s heavily lined with 80’s influences. Next up is the intoxicating “Plastik Fantastik”, which is an odd song driven by roboticized vocals that sounds like an Americanized version of any song by Kraftwerk.
Much in the style of Peaches, the girly vocals of “Kickdrum” get louder with each growing thump of the bass in a catchy and hypnotizing manner, while the next track, “Do We Move Your World”, swirls by as a dizzying spacecraft equipped with squeaky female vocals and echoing synths. Later on, we’re fed a few slower and less notable electro melodies such as “We” and “Turn Me On A Summer Smile”. The album quickly picks up the pace, however, with “Elvi$”, an extremely repetitive techno dance track with only one purpose–to keep those drug-popping rave kids happy on the dance floor.
After picking up, the album slowly comes to a close first with the sweet and catchy “Machine”, which is about every machine’s inability to feel, and then with the surprisingly mellow title track, “He Was King”. The synth-driven homage to the 80’s wraps up 45 minutes of dancing goodness and leaves the audience full and happy.
Overall, He Was King proves itself as a fun and memorable album with all the essential ingredients needed to create irresistibly danceable melodies. Representing a mash-up of old and new, Felix da Housecat brings yet another 80’s influenced dance/house record to the table in a manner that’s ever so slightly different from 2007’s Virgo Blaktro and the Movie Disco. If Felix doesn’t spice things up soon, will his fans outgrow his music?
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He Was King
