Gang Gang Dance

Gang Gang Dance are kind to make it safer for lovers of dark clubs and too loud music that feel threatened by trendkensteins with hyperactive rhythm glands. This fourth time out, they tone down the twilight zone a little and aim for the heart of Mudd Club, circa 1981. Any handful of cultural pushpins are insufficient to nail their sound; the Brooklyn crew have an elliptical lazy Susan crammed with samples from shoegaze, world beat, club tracks and dub. The heartache/brain click moment comes a little bit into "Vacuum,” where the synth line languidly bites a MBV riff. Yummy. "House Jam” is the perfect smooth swayer for a Debbie Harry and Stockhausen slow dance. They even throw their hat in the grime with a guest vocal by Tinchy Stryder on "Princes.” In a music world gone wiggy, Saint Dymphna could win Gang Gang Dance the breakout weirdo laurels that have gone to Deerhoof, M.I.A. and TV on the Radio in the recent past.