What's Louder Than Ten? Eleven.

I've been listening to the new tune "11th Dimension" from the Strokes' Julian Casablancas pretty much nonstop for the last week.

Don't believe it's that good? You might be skeptical for about 1.1235463 seconds, when the opening synth drums make you feel like you're listening to your little brother (or kid, significant other, what have you) play along to one of those pre-recorded 'jams' that accompany many musical instruments these days. Then the amazing keyboard riffs come in and you're hooked, if you're a big keyboard/80s/synth enthusiast such as myself. :)

This song is essentially electronic, with a big 80s vibe that'll make you want to bust a move over and over again. Because so many artists are making the shift to sounding like they just popped out of a Dolorean from 1985, I am totally loving it! And I add this song to that list, and hopefully Casablancas as well once the album 'Phrazes for the Young' drops. Don't get me wrong, I love the Strokes, but this is so refreshing! Enough about my tastes, on to the rest of the song.

Throughout the entire song, you're bombarded with persistent, flamboyant keyboarding. There's a guitar riff that shows up every minute or so, and some light picking that accompanies the chorus, but the keyboard is the star here. And I think it works well, since Casablancas' voice is very smooth and sort of monotone (for him, anyway...) here. There's nothing really special in the lyrics, but let's face it, you're too busy jamming out to the keyboards to listen. That is the only reason the song gets a 9/10 in my book, which is still pretty damn good.

All in all, I think it's a smart move on Casablancas' part. It's a new enough sound that it will attract die-hard fans looking for something fresh (as evidenced by my friend Jesus' obsession with the song), as well as draw in newcomers who don't have a historical affinity for traditional Strokes-esque music. Here's a link to the mp3. Enjoy, but try not to break anything, material or anatomical, when you spontaneously burst into sweet moves of dance.