Artwork by CÜSPE
It didn’t take long for the kings of alternative dance to reunite after their last ever show at MSG, but even those who bragged that “they were there” couldn’t hold back their excitement at the prospect of more music and more shows from a band that in three perfect records came to define a whole genre and ushered dance music into the mainstream. Coming in an age before dance was rock and leaving in an age when dance was seemingly all there was, LCD Soundsystem rose above all, somehow effortlessly cool whilst still relatable. So in honor of all the new shows, and hopefully new songs, we’ve put together a list of 20 of our absolute favorites.
Spotify
20-16
20. Drunk Girls
19. Beat Connection
18. Us v Them
17. Disco Infiltrator
16. Movement
15-11
15. Get Innocuous!
14. Yr City’s A Sucker
13. Yeah – Crass Version
12. Sound of Silver
11. You Wanted a Hit
10. Time to Get Away
Like many LCD tracks, “Time To Get Away” proves that a solid rhythm section is really all you need — that As James Murphy’s high-pitched trill to offer a raw, casually impassioned vocal delivery. This track is groovy as hell, channeling a dirty brand of funk/disco from start to finish. — Lauren McKinney
9. Home
As quickly-paced, slightly-syncopated guitars lead the way for a sweet, melodic vocal delivery from James Murphy, “Home” feels like more of a classic pop song than most of LCD Soundsystem’s catalog. The final track on This Is Happening, “Home” is the nicely wrapped package to finish out an album full of meandering, wonderfully outlandish material. — Lauren McKinney
8. New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down
“New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down” encapsulates how most New Yorkers feel about their city at one time or another. Entire neighborhoods can shift before your eyes, scrubbing everything you loved to make room for a more mild version of a place that was once “filthy but fine.” What begins as a slow, piano-driven lament, though, explodes into a guitar rock anthem, complete with searing solo work and drum fills. — Lauren McKinney
7. North American Scum
There’s something unendingly dirty and brilliant about the synth tone that greets you at the beginning of “North American Scum.” There’s also something unendingly dirty and brilliant about the self-aware lyrics and fantastic exploration of what it is to be an American. We may not be perfect, but we’re not that bad, right? — Lauren McKinney
6. Dance Yrself Clean
Leave it to LCD Soundsystem to deliver a series of handclaps and pot hits that manages to be so damn groovy it hurts. Murphy and Co. are masters of the slow build and long intro, and “Dance Yrself Clean” is a prime example of why. By the end of 3 minutes, the lightly-used twirling synth line and harmonized vocals have you ready to burst, as you count down each second till the real percussion and instrumentals arrive. There’s also nothing quite like the distinctly robotic, crunchy synth that greets you towards the end. — Lauren McKinney
5. I Can Change
Juxtaposition between the jubilance of dance and Murphy’s vulnerability is one of the hallmarks that makes LCD great. Nowhere has this come into such a stark contrast as “I Can Change,” a dance ready track with heartbreaking lyrics seemingly pulled straight out of a country ballad. It’s desperate, sad and still forces even the most cold-hearted to bop along to the relentless two note bass line. — Hannah Angst
4. Someone Great
For as much as the dance bonafides of LCD get touted, the quieter moments of the albums fly just as high. “Someone Great” has all the moments that make LCD tracks great — the quiet, pulsing blips over a slow and intense build and, of course, Murphy’s introspective and infinitely relatable lyrics. The track never fully explodes like some of the band’s best, but that even keel without catharsis is one of the things that makes the song rank so high. Its slow chug brings home the loss and heartbreak at the heart of the track. — Hannah Angst
3. Daft Punk is Playing at My House
Perhaps one of the greatest party anthems of all time, “Daft Punk…” has the party ethos of LCD Soundsystem distilled to it’s very core essence. It’s non-stop energy infused with an effortless cool and razor sharp wit. With lyrics that smirk at the very concept of a rager while still going all in with the party, Murphy and Co. made a party staple while laughing at the fact that they did it. — Hannah Angst
2. Losing My Edge
It’s somewhat ironic and yet absolutely appropriate that the modern lament of those who thought LCD was gone is one of the first things that sprung them on the scene — that aging hipster lament that we all feel and know so intimately, “I was there.” It’s autobiographical sure, but it’s also one of the most universal laments regardless of who’s usurping your cool. “Losing my Edge” lists bonaifides and reminds that Murphy knows exactly what he’s doing, what he wants and what came before. It’s also heartbreakingly hilarious. On top of all of that, those cymbal crashes hit the point home relentlessly. — Hannah Angst
1. All My Friends
If you’ve ever been to a party, bar, club, show — anywhere with people — and this song comes on, everything stops. From the first chugging moments to the call and response that it builds to, this is a perfectly romantic, swooning song that has burrowed it’s way into the hearts and memories of millions. It’s simple, perfect construction and self-aware lyrics easily make it LCDs best constructed song, but that’s not what makes it great. What makes “All My Friends” great and truly lasting are the millions of ends of nights that it’s soundtracked, the feverish dancing and hugging and screaming that it’s inspired and the pure, unadulterated emotion that perfect construction inspires. — Hannah Angst
