The moment finally came to refresh the Celica soundtrack. A drive to Dorset with the dog blocking the glove box will do that. So it was time to rummage through the spare room on a CD hunt.
While this was going on, Plus One Loo was trying out her new Apple Music subscription and fired up a 2001 playlist. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. And nostalgia for that time pushed Metro Area's self-titled debut to the top of the pile.
I picked up this album in Fopp, back when Cardiff had a Fopp at the bottom of Queen Street, back when the bottom on Queen Street was alright. Now the bottom of Queen Street looks pretty dire. I suppose the Capitol Centre didn't stand a chance against St David's 2.
Anyway, I remember buying Metro Area upstairs in Fopp way back when, as it's one of just two occasions when the person behind the counter positively commented on my selection. The other was Röyksopp's Melody AM in HMV (coincidentally Eple was on Loo's 2001 soundtrack). Twice in all the years I've bought albums. Maybe I should take that as evidence of my shit taste in music.
Metro Area's 2002 debut always used to be my housework album. It just bumps and it just swings, spreading positivity and energy. This is helpful when dusting. It is beautiful disco house music that's funky as fuck.
However what I love most about it is the space. It has a confidence to it, and that confidence allows it to pause, to breathe. A lot of electronic dance music tries to cram everything in. Metro Area by Metro Area knows it's on to something and takes it time. And don't just take my word for it, Resident Advisor voted it the 2nd best album of the 2000s.
Muira is the biggie off this album yet I'm gonna go with Atmosphrique, as I'm a sucker for double disco handclaps.
Keen-eyed peeps will have noticed that Metro Area is missing from the pile in the second picture. That's because it didn't make it out of the kitchen. I had some housework that really needed doing.
