Tech Couture

All bets had Håkan Lidbo's electro-synth project Data 80 picked as the winner in the popularity stakes. Yet this rubbery tech-funk album from just a year prior to the '80s whiplash is still the incredibly prolific producer's most accomplished work to date. Released on Steve Bug's near flawless German label Poker Flat, the Swedish producer with over 100 records to his credit doesn't seem to be doing anything of overwhelming interest over these dozen tracks. The sharp hi-hats and metronome kick fail to inspire much in the way of excess groove while the surly tempo certainly doesn't express any urgency. It all comes down to the bass — an elastic band of low frequencies that oscillates with a wide swath on "Telepaths" and "Missing Link" while tightening to a fast vibrating buzz on the mechanical march of "Kiki de Montparnasse." "The Kinsey Report" carefully follows realistic soul patterns that drip with human sexuality being carefully observed in a cubicle of tight electronic beats. Only "Shift Service" highlights the breaks over the bass, with a cleverly doubled-up snare and conga combo. But regardless of which singular element takes command of these minimal dancefloor compositions, the result is the same sort of heady funk that subtlety outshines the more obvious robo-trash where most bets are still mistakenly riding.