Football anthems are an odd, and usually awful commodity. In particular, the "Official" songs are often the worst.

The less that is said about Ocean Colour Scene's collaboration with the Spice Girls and Ian McCulloch (what was he thinking?) for "On Top of the World", the better it will be for everyone. And as for that thing Mick Hucknell did - well, I can't even remember what it was now. Isn't forgetfulness a wonderful thing?

Singing for England (Eng-er-land!):

There are, of course, exceptions that defy this rule with a brazen contempt that would put even Eric Cantona to shame. Such examples include (obviously) "Three Lions", "Vindaloo" - a song that was, apparently, about football even though it seemed to have more to do with curry, and New Order's "World in Motion" (minus John Barnes' rap, of course).

Sundae Club, heroes of the synth, the melotron and the theramin, have now decided to join the fray too, just in time for the summer's world cup.

Two Sides to an MP3:

In fact, where most bands will content themselves with a single effort, Sundae Club have excelled themselves and produced a double sided A track (if MP3s can be considered to have sides): "Let's Go to Germany" and "The Underdog".

Like "Vindaloo", "Let's Go to Germany" has very little to do with football - apart from its reference to the host nation. Unlike Vindaloo, it's a chilled out number.

You won't hear the crowds chanting this one out in the stadia, but it wouldn't be out of place in a relaxed Leipzig bar. Football fans of a quieter disposition could sit and discuss Rooney's metatarsals till the cows came home while Sundae Club's track washed over them.

Easy like Sundae Morning:

The track opens with a sunny sounding guitar strum while softly spoken German is whispered underneath in glorious stereo. The rest of the track is chilled out piano morphing to electric guitar. Think Air and you're somewhere near there - until, that is, you hit the Tex-Mex meets Mantovani bridge.

"Let's Go to Germany" is a beautifully crafted track. Don't let the initial muzak-feel deceive you. If this is lift music then it is lift music for the discerning elevator user. Kenny G fans need not apply.

Nobody Mention the War!:

Second track, "The Underdog", is a slightly more lively affair. A drums 'n' bass beat underscores a military band's parping march, sheets of lucious strings and samples of patriotic talk ("We have a long fight ahead").

There is so much going on that, in the hands of lesser beings, it could be a cacophonous mess. Instead, we have a clever, intricate patchwork of musical and verbal ideas - though quite what the implied comparison between the World Cup and the Second World War will do for Anglo-German relations is anyone's guess.

As Vic Reeves once said: "You wouldn't let it lie......"

A Perfect Sundae:

This double A single is perfect. You could - you should, expect nothing less from Sundae Club. These are the people who brought you the outstanding "Technostalgia" album of 2004. And their offering here shows they have far from lost their touch.

The world cup comes but once every four years. Here's hoping the next Sundae Club offering turns up a little sooner.

The Sundae Club single can be downloaded via the band's website.

11/06/06 - First published on www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire on this link