The debut single from Hiem is a double A side that shows the Sheffield factor is not only alive and kicking but still producing genuinely innovative stuff.
Mind you, Chelsea has a distinct Pulp feel - a ramble through the Sheffield night with a Jarvis-type commentary over a sharp-edged snarl of an electro beat. It's a brilliant slice of life as the hero remembers having his ball nicked by a girl called Chelsea - "I could've played for Wednesday, me, you know..." The only thing wrong with it is it's over all too soon, with the best closing line I've heard in years - "Thank fuck I didn't marry that Chelsea".
Japanese Motor Car #1 is altogether smoother, the minimalist, shimmery electro pop and falsetto vocals - "I can see the city / reflected in my wheels" - creating a sophisticated urban techno feel. A very classy beginning.
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