Boys Noize

Alex Ridha, the man behind Boys Noize, has dropped his latest effort, Power, the follow-up to the electro magnate's acclaimed debut, Oi Oi Oi. A lofty title like Power suggests an album of similar magnitude, but Ridha might have jumped the gun on this one. Erratic beats and gritty electronics most Boys Noize fans are familiar with, like those found on the wandering "Starter," run throughout Power, but on a much more subdued level. The disc shifts between a slower, almost cleaner feel, as demonstrated by the airy, atmospheric opening and closing tracks ("Glee" and "Heart Attack"), and faster, dirty, chaotic grit found on the likes of "Starter" and "Nott." Although tracks like "Jeffer" and "Sweet Light" scream Boys Noize, with their gutted, blown synths and signature, glitch-y electro sound, the album is lacking any sense of surprise or substantial hooks needed to take Power from mediocre to stellar.