Single Review: Erik Hassle – ‘No Words’
2 min read
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it’s hard to imagine Daft Punk being flattered by the release of Erik Hassle’s Get Lucky ‘homage’, No Words. At times No Words is so derivative of that megahit that one can almost hear Daft Punk’s lawyers rattling their papers in anticipation. But, at other times, Hassle proves exactly why he isn’t Daft Punk, and the brief moments when the song stops ripping off a contemporary classic and tries to do its own thing are ultimately more annoying than the shameless thievery that dominates the track.
Hassle’s voice has a simpering, overly polished quality. Not a single line of his radio-fodder lyric rings true, not only because it’s full of the kind of clichés that stopped being interesting twenty years ago (using the phrase “I can’t get enough” in your chorus should be deemed illegal) but also because Hassle’s voice cannot convey a single emotion. He might as well be singing his tax invoice.
It’s on the chorus that Hassle dials back his Daft Punk thievery a little bit, but it’s on the chorus that he reveals the true heart of his simpering, uninspired melodies. This is the kind of funk-pop that artists have been nailing for lifetimes; Hassle brings absolutely nothing new to the table.
It’s a great shame, because Hassle has proven himself to be an impressive pop smith in the past: his work prior to No Words marked him out as one to watch. That he would trade in his distinct, enjoyable sound for bland rubbish like this new single is a sad turn of events indeed.
