Electrospective: Like Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs? Then you’ll love Hot Chip’s “Coming On Strong”

Elektro joins EMI in celebrating its Electrospective series, which pays homage to electronic music’s long, storied history. We have combed through EMI’s massive 600-plus album catalog to pick out the best electronic music from years past; our weekly hand-picked recommendations are sure to open your eyes to artists and tracks that inspired the stars of today’s scene.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, or TEED for short, is the stage name of British electronica and indie-dance producer Orlando Higginbottom. TEED's 2012 debut LP Trouble earned him widespread acclaim, and for good reason: the album is packed with exquisitely produced, unique beats, alongside Higginbottom's low-key vocals. The beauty of the TEED sound lies in Higginbottom's ability to combine mellow, indie-sounding vibes with measured doses of big electro synths. Trouble's "Household Goods" and "Tapes & Money" stand out in this regard. TEED also experiments with minimalism on "You Need Me On My Own," which offers a considerably softer sound and more romantic vocals than other album tracks.  The Hot Chip sound was a clear source of inspiration for Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, so it's no surprise to learn that the artist's early EPs were released on Hot Chip singer Joe Goddard's Greco-Roman Records.

Hot Chip became an instantly iconic indie band in the mid-2000s with the release of its debut LP Coming On Strong. First released overseas on DFA Records (helmed by LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy), the album came to the U.S. in late 2005. With Coming On Strong, Hot Chip offered a quirky, honest take on electronica with richly varied sounds, from the meditative "Take Care" to the funky groove of "Down With Prince." Experiments with new sounds – such as the sexy, warped guitar sound of "Hittin' Skittles" – clearly paid off, inspiring a later wave of producers like TEED to branch out too.