Converse always manage to pull it out of the bag with their ‘Three Artists, One Song’ collaborations (remember Casablancas/ Pharrell/Santogold’s ‘My Drive Thru’?). ‘DoYaThing’ is no exception. Damon – in his “2-D” voice that suggests both listless ennui and schoolboy mischief, sings: “I’m a pale imitator of a boy in the sky.” Enter, stage left, a falsetto James Murphy singing the hook. An organ parps with 60s Exotica playfulness and then, in an effect which piles on the plinky-plonky vibe, Murphy sings like he’s caught mid-way between channeling his inner Austin Powers and Alexis from Hot Chip. “Groovy, baby” indeed.
So far, so expected. But then comes Outkast’s Andre 3000, who manages to steal the show from under their feet. ‘Dre’s flow comes at a breakneck speed, bouncing around the title line “Do ya own thang.” Plus he gets massive extra points for managing to effortlessly crow-bar the words “onomatopoeia”, “Slick Rick”, “Juicy Fruit” and a line about his pyjamas into the track. Murphy makes a brilliant backstage star, but the song is all about the Damon and Andre moment. Would it be too much to ask for more squiggly, giggly hits from the duo?