Thunder, Lightning, Strike

The Go! Team’s brilliant, mind-bending debut came to life after boy genius Ian Parton conceptualized a musical project in his parents’ Brighton, England, home, where he toyed with building music from some of his favorite things: double Dutch and schoolyard chants, old-school rap beats and samples, ‘70s television and action film themes, ‘60s pop and soul music, and Sonic Youth-styled indie guitars, for example. Thunder, Lightning, Strike is a wild, exhilarating ride, and a loving homage to American and British pop culture of the previous four decades. Samples include a chant from ‘60s radical group the Black Panthers, snippets from documentaries Wild Style (the early years of rap and hip-hop) and Westway to the World (the early years of the Clash), plus a scattering of pop songs by artists such as Archie Bell and Laura Nyro. First big single “Ladyflash” starts off all cool sitars and languid sexy-ness before shifting into an old school hip-hop vibe with scratching, heavy samples, fat beats and honeyed female vocals. A second single, “Junior Kickstart,” features soaring, brassy horns that could have been lifted directly from a ‘70s police-action TV show, and showcases the commanding vocals of rapper Ninja, who later became a central force in the band. Wow!