On the Whip’s debut LP, the Manchester quartet is adamant about making dance floors rock and rock audiences dance. The objective of X Marks Destination sounds simple enough, but considering the countless failed attempts at wedding the two genres, the Whip had the odds stacked against them. For the most part, the band succeeds in balancing elements of rock and electronica, blending emotive performances and raw instrumentation with dance beats to create a fresh sound that is bound to entice rockers and ravers alike. Drummer Fiona Daniel creates hypnotic yet driving rhythmic figures that repeat enough times for audiences to lock into her grooves, while Nathan Sudder’s throbbing, bouncy basslines miraculously sound equally informed by disco and punk-punk. Frontman Bruce Carter’s songwriting abilities are on full display throughout the album: most of his tunes sound like they would pass the songwriter’s litmus test of being able to stand on their own in the most stripped down setting. Thankfully though, the band is never short on playful musical flourishes with which to adorn their songs, as keyboardist Danny Saville elevates each song’s arrangement with his synth mastery. The Whip is at its best when it leans more heavily on its rock sound: the electro influence is subtly and seamlessly integrated into New Order-esque anthems such as the romantically tragic ‘Frustration.’ Techno-oriented tracks like ‘Fire’ and ‘Divebomb, while serviceable forays into the genre, sound out of place and disrupt the lilting momentum of the record. However, these slight missteps are are not enough to ruin a solid first effort from a band that is an undoubtedly promising addition to the dance-rock canon.

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