Man Made Machine CD

Having previously impressed with a serious of eye-popping albums that fused techno, electro and raw acid, veteran duo Motor have gone back to their roots on this fifth full-length. With Gary Numan, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore and veteran singer-for-hire Billie Ray Martin in tow, they've laid down an album that looks to 1980s EBM and industrial for inspiration. The resultant set bristles with dark swagger and druggy intent. Musically, it's a pleasing mix of darkroom synth-pop, new wave menace and dirty dancefloor grooves, with the odd moment of contemplative clarity thrown in. For the most part, though, it sounds like Nitzer Ebb for the 21st century.