Following the classic , this Manchester/New York unit's third album, , points toward a more minimal, stripped-down sound. This was apparently influenced heavily by the New York club scene of the early '80s, in which immersed themselves following their formation in Manchester. The departure of vocalist left the band working in a more rhythmic instrumental approach, eschewing the forms of and focusing on a harder sound. While this revealed the influence of time spent in club culture and marked a radical departure from the melancholy Manchester sound of their previous albums, the band kept their melodic passages intact, which created a tension between bright and dark moods that was the striking characteristic of their best work. The fact that this album fared well on the dancefloor some 20 years after its release may indicate that was ahead of their time. Their influence could be heard cropping up in strains of the , , and of the late '90s. Hence, is an album that deserves a revisit. Essential listening for fans of the sound that spawned the British club sound exemplified by and the New York wave of groups, like and . ~ Skip Jansen