Data 80

Coming from Swedish tech-house producer and a subsidiary of Germany’s minimal techno powerhouse Force Inc, the pop flavourings of Data 80 may come as a surprise — even eliciting impressions of electroclash bandwagoneering. But on further exploration, Libdo’s Data 80 persona is a less fashion-conscious project, revelling in the optimistic exuberance of vocodored disco rather than settling for coldly robotic synth-pop. From the Pet Shop Boys-aping opener "You Are Always On My Mind” to the Stereolab-ish "Don’t Believe in Me,” Libdo seems intent on recreating a lost time instead of developing a new one. But he does it with enough panache to carry off that overdone conceit. Though tight and to the point, these "pop” songs — complete with love-obsessed English language verses and choruses — aren’t quite interesting enough to sustain an entire album. But whose are nowadays?