The Norwegian dance duo shake it out and get noisier on their sophomore effort. While their first album was the product of studio producers pursuing a relentlessly smooth, sophisticated aesthetic, they’ve spent the intervening time selling albums, touring the world and buying new equipment. Happily, they’ve embraced the tension between organic instrumentation and laptop music mechanics. Bringing vocalists and songwriting to the fore, they move from the smooth lounges to an enriching amalgam of dance-club and rock-hall sound. With deep, catchy bass, vocal overtones and noisy bridges, these songs set up the peak of an ass-shaking, foot-stomping night out, not just the drive home.
The Understanding
