U.K. groups Hot Chip and Sleaford Mods have combine their vastly-different musical styles to craft two songs as part of a benefit single for the War Child charity.
The two tracks – titled “Nom Nom Nom” and “Cat Burglar” – were recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios and have been pressed to 7″ vinyl, packaged with artwork from English artist David Shrigley.
All proceeds from the sale of the single will go to War Child, which works to improve the psychosocial wellbeing of children affected by conflict.
The collaboration came about as part of Abbey Road’s Lock-In series, which the studio says is “designed to illuminate the musical creative experience, offering a window into an otherwise closed process”. For its latest Lock-In, Londoners Hot Chip invited Nottingham duo Sleaford Mods into the studio for a collaboration which has since been nicknamed ‘Hot Mods’.
“Making these songs over the course of one day at Abbey Road was a great experience,” Hot Chip said of the pairing. “We arrived without a plan but quickly began working together in a harmonious way, with lots of improvisation and very little ego. We are very grateful to Sleaford Mods for joining us and very proud of the result.”
“On the day we went in cold and just handed ourselves over to it,” added Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson. “‘Nom Nom Nom’ is a lyrical continuation from our album UK GRIM over Andrew’s keyboard riff, built on by Hot Chip and finishing up with an excellent chorus from Alexis.
“’Cat Burglar’ is a weird prog rock meets B-52s jam that explores the narrow corridors of modern human experience.”
As Williamson indicated, Sleaford Mods last released an album by way of 2023’s UK Grim. The record became the highest-charting of their career, reaching No. 3 on the U.K. chart. Similarly, Hot Chip’s latest effort was 2022’s Freakout/Release, which peaked at No. 16 in their homeland.