From Deewee in Bloomington, MN

As Technicolor dream synths creep to life, so begins the journey of
From Deewee
, the Belgian duo's eighth set and first as
Soulwax
in over a decade. Recorded in just one take at Deewee -- the
Dewaele
brothers' studio in Ghent -- the album follows 2004's electro nu-rave effort
Any Minute Now
and its 2005 remixed sibling
Nite Versions
, yet it bears more resemblance to their 2007 one-off project,
Die Verboten
, which was heavily informed by
Kraftwerk
. Melding the pounding beats that recall early
Daft Punk
,
Vitalic
, or
Infusion
and the indie dance stylings of contemporaries like
Hot Chip
and
LCD Soundsystem
, the combination is infectious. Percussion plays a big role here, with no less than three drummers --
Sepultura
's
Igor Cavalera
Jamie T.
Victoria Smith
, and
Turbowolf
Blake Davies
-- recruited for
Deewee
. Their presence grants the album a natural, organic feel that stresses rhythm and flow. When the trio lets loose, the results are thrilling, like on the pounding punk finish of "Missing Wires" or the extended jam that summons "Is It Always Binary" to life. "Trespassers" rides the cymbals on a menacing mix of rock and rave, while the persistent throb on "Masterplanned" builds until the drums kick in, creating a glorious cacophony at the end of the track that rocks as it grooves. This iteration of
is rounded out by
Stefaan Van Leuven
(bass/synths) and
Laima Leyton
(synths/backing vocals), whose programming and attention to fine detail create an entrancing atmospheric backbone. Album highlights include "Conditions of a Shared Belief," a synthesis of that
sound and the sparse synth pop of
Depeche Mode
or
Goldfrapp
; "Do You Want to Get in Trouble?," a propulsive throbber that sounds like
Franz Ferdinand
going techno; and "My Tired Eyes," another dose of synth pop a la
'Mode
. With gapless transitions that make the listening session as much a throwback as their live recording single take,
rarely bores and is over before the listener can acknowledge the end on "Goodnight Transmission." Fans of their early-2000s work will appreciate the live instrumentation, especially the drum work, while those who remember
2ManyDJ's
' classic
As Heard on Radio Soulwax, Pt. 2
mix will relish the twists and turns of this nonstop ride.
is a welcome and satisfying return from the sibling pair. ~ Neil Z. Yeung