Client

The electronic duo of female songsmiths who formed while touring with Depeche Mode just two years ago are back with their second blast of poptastic, Brit-sounding music (imagine a mellower Republica or a lusher Becoming X-era Sneaker Pimps). Although the press release promises a "darker, bleaker, more lush” Client, the tracks don’t stray particularly far from their essence as easy-to-digest, radio-friendly pop snacks. That said, the most memorable and successful songs on City are those that openly embrace the darker aesthetic, both vocally and musically; "Overdrive” and the orchestral "The Chill Of October,” or test the boundaries of the electro-pop genre by taking a foray down more experimental avenues like on "In It For The Money.” Client’s first album was heavily used as incidental music on several television series (including CSI: Miami and Nip/Tuck), and undoubtedly, this album sets itself up for a similar commercial fate as Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) and Carl Barat (the Libertines) both take up guest vocals duties for a cut each on the new disc.