Concord Dawn: Chaos By Design

Herald rating: * * *

What we have here is a more seductive Concord Dawn. It's not a set of heart-stopping, red-hot songs like those from their first three albums. The last of these, Uprising from 2003, had a heap of them, including Morning Light, Raining Blood, and Don't Tell Me.

This is a more beautiful beast but it lacks that passionate killer blow. It's obvious Evan Short and Matt Harvey have matured as musicians, and their production values, as always, are tops. They've also mellowed.

While tracks like opener Broken Eyes, and the gorgeously streamlined Chloroform, get that rolling vibe going, the only real screamer here is Aces High.

It is a stunner, featuring local drum'n'bass producers State of Mind. With a manic vocal sample - is that Ministry? - giving the song a sinister edge, it is the Raining Blood of the album.

Another stand out is Salmonella Dub's Tiki Taane who sings on the sunny Hawaiian-shirt number, Never Give Up On Love which, while it could be the soundtrack to a margarine ad, is deliciously addictive.

But the galactic bop of One Night In Reno is the d'n'b equivalent of a repetitive trance anthem and Blow churns along, but only on its tippy toes. That's the problem with some of these tracks, they never let rip and finish the job.

Harvey and Short have never been content to please just the rabid drum'n'bass fans and Never Give Up ... is the most obvious example of their uncanny ability to have a more wide-ranging appeal.

They simply write great tunes that just happen to be in a drum'n'bass style.

The more divergent direction on Chaos By Design will drag in a few more fans and it's no surprise it debuted at No 7 this week.

But, while the more ambient tracks are beautifully lush, and the vocal accompaniments of Hollie Smith (Say Your Words) and Paul McLaney (Man For All Seasons) are alluring, it fails to engage you for the entirety.

Label: Uprising