T rack listing: 1. Don't Mess with Me 2. Joy 3. Blame 4. It's Better to Have Loved 5. Not That Big 6. Knock Me Out 7. Crime 8. Battleships 9. Little White Lie 10. Invisible Ink (Prelude) 11. Invisible Ink 12.   Winter's Coming Label: Defend Music Release Date: March 25, 2008

Temposhark is an electronic rock band formed in London by singer and songwriter Robert Diament with programmer Luke Busby. The joyful noise that they make on this disc, their debut, is something to behold. If New Order and XTC threw a bash at Trent Reznor's pad, this is what it might sound like. They take their electronic landscape and litter it with impressive pop chops, with all of it sounding a bit edgy and unpredictable.

Most of the disc can be summed up by listening to the first track, "Don't Mess With Me." The song begins with a haunting string arrangement that pulses behind Diament's enticing lyrics. The whole composition is starkly impressive; from the arrangement right through to the armor piercing production quality. Produced by Sean McGhee, this entire record's sound quality is simply chilling. The multi-level punch of the synths and the chest beating bass kick are some of the best you'll ever hear. Don't make the mistake of throwing this one into the pile of electronic dance CD's that are scattered on the floorboards of your Buick, though. This is more of a pop album than it is a rave starter. Diament and Busby are musical fishermen that get their hooks from the same tackle box as some of the best pop acts of the past. Songs like "Joy" and "Blame" are memorable pop masterpieces that will have you singing long after the CD gets turned off.

One of the best things about this record is the continuity from beginning to end. The songs flow beautifully from one to the next. Going from the pop sound of "Joy" and "Blame," the attitude shifts ever so slightly when harder-edged songs like "Knock Me Out" and "Crime" are ushered in. And, what just might be the key to all of the success here is the placement of the ballads. When softer songs like "It's Better To Have Loved," "Battleships," and "Winter's Coming" appear, they are perfectly placed within the pace of the album.

Temposhark sinks its teeth into you with a little help from a friend or two, also. "Blame" is a song co-written by famed producer Youth (Martin Glover), and the song "Not That Big" features a duet with Grammy nominated artist Imogen Heap. The disc is due to be released in April 2008 (UK) and on March 25, 2008 (USA/Canada).

Official website: www.temposhark.com
MySpace page: www.myspace.com/temposhark

Photo: Jim Dyson

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