One time drummer in Ladyfuzz, Ben Esser has spead his wings and embraced electropop as a frontman. Following on from the limited single I Love You comes Headlock - which the more savy of you will have picked up on weeks ago when Esser were on the Transgressive summer tour.
Still if you have yet to grapple with Esser's charms, then accept this as a warning: Headlock will stick in your brain like heavily barbed harpoon.
Using fighting moves metaphorically, Esser describes love and relationships in a meek and confused way. His voice possesses a peculiar charm, both authoritative and yet shot through with a sense that Esser himself is terrified. Maybe that's the point, after all love's got him in a headlock, and nothing's going to help him now.
But where he seems to be unlucky in love, it does at least feed in to some killer tunes. If the vocals do nothing for you, then wait till the inspired electrobreak around two thirds through. Pure genius. Hearing this tune is a double edged sword, on the one hand it's a perfect pop tune, on the other, you will wake up with the chorus echoing around your head wishing it would leave you alone for a couple of minutes. This will have you in a headlock for weeks.
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