Music

Tiny Desk Premiere: Hot Chip

By Maia Stern

Published April 22, 2024 at 12:48 PM EDT

Even though it was the band's first visit to the Tiny Desk, Hot Chip's performance felt like a homecoming — a sweet return to some of the instruments the group first created its signature, playful sound with. Hot Chip's "tiny instruments," as lead vocalist Alexis Taylor called them, fit right into the space.

The members of Hot Chip arrived at NPR HQ each dressed in a different colored top, their bright and brilliant looks matching the music's classic electro-pop vibe. The band, joined by Jonny Lam on pedal steel guitar (who played a Tiny Desk previously with Sinkane) began the set with two tracks from its 2006 album The Warning, including "Over and Over" and "Boy From School." The latter of the two, Taylor explained, was written on the Casio keyboard that both Taylor and guitarist Rob Smoughton play in this set. Then the band slows it down a bit with "Look At Where We Are," before ending with the classic "Ready For The Floor."

And speaking of bringing the perfect look, after the show, Taylor got out an on-theme top: an NPR branded sweatshirt that he asked us all to sign. It was a rare, tender and probably once-in-a-lifetime moment, when one of your favorite bands is asking you to sign merch.

SET LIST

"Over And Over"
"Boy From School"
"Look At Where We Are"
"Ready For The Floor"

MUSICIANS

Alexis Taylor: vocals, guitar, keyboard
Joe Goddard: vocals, keyboard
Owen Clarke: keyboard
Rob Smoughton: backing vocals, guitar
Leo Taylor: drums
Jonny Lam: pedal steel guitar

TINY DESK TEAM

Producer/Director: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Pierre Kattar
Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
Production Assistant: Elle Mannion
Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
Tiny Desk Team: Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins