LCD Soundsystem - 45:33

LCD Soundsystem – 45:33

Commissioned by Nike as part of their Original Run series, James Murphey’s LCD Soundsystem has the baton smacked in their palm after previous outings by Aesop Rock and Crystal Method. The rules are easy: build a continuous cycle of music paced to an tailored arc for running or exercising – a stretching, slow intro, a hyper-kinetic center, and a relaxed ending. LCD Soundsystem delivers in spades a mix branded with their own space-disco, electroclash sound. The workout begins with a simple synth riff (Headband, check. Laces tighten) that flutters into a soulful disco bounce (Warm-up walk started). The momentum increases gradually; a funky tech-house track merges straight into the electro-disco shimmering (Jogging with long strides) that’s often favored by the nightlife remixes James Murphey produces under his DFA-label moniker. By its peak (Heartbeat pounding) and eventual warm down (Gatorade please), the headspace you’ve cursed in, is a welcome relief from the usual metronome of deep breathing and a bursting heart.