IfIHadAHifi - Ones and Zeros - No Karma

Review by: Jason Railey

Let me get my cliché simile out of the way early by saying that IfIHadAHifi sounds like the bastard offspring of the Beastie Boy’s, Ad Rock, and Man or Astroman (minus the Dick Dale influence) after taking a few hits of a Pixie Stick and a shot of Jolt cola. If that sounds hard to imagine then I think that I am heading in the right direction. For the most part they are an ambient upbeat noise rock band mixing samples with analog keyboards and distorted vocals.

By far the standout track on this album is the song “The New Science.” Whereas some of this disc can feel like a little too much experimental dance-beat noise, “the New Science” combines the best of IfIHadAHifi’s brand of dance-beat indie rock. At times the album is so energetic that you can’t help but smile and tap your toes and even shake that ass of yours.

Did I mention that this band obviously loves palindromes? I mean, look real close at the name, IfIHadAHifi. Not to mention that all the band member’s names follow the same exercise in inverse cleverness. Check it…Noise Lesion, Dr. Awkward, Mr. Alarm, Yale delay.

The album itself is hard to listen to all the way straight through in one sitting. Don’t get me wrong. I like this album. I just like in small doses. IfIHadAHifi would be the perfect choice if you were to say be throwing a super mod dance party because they provide enough punch to keep the party going. Then again it is not the exactly the kind of thing you could handle the morning after while nursing a hangover.

Read where IfIHadAHiFi got their name from here.

Read where No Karma got their name from here.

Read a review of Make Way for No Karma here.