(Domino)

www.dominorecordco.us

Junior Boys' slow-cooked house and electronic music perches precariously on the edge of full-blown techno-schmaltz. But one must accept this in order to understand their appeal.

The falsetto vocals that overlay the excellent opening track, "Parallel Lines," set the tone. This is pop music at its core, albeit sprinkled with a healthy dose of dance-floor fairy dust. "Work" gets slightly more sinister, as an acid-house smattering of synth arpeggios overlays a thumping bass line. But the tempo never rises above a workman-like 100 bpm or so, favoring atmosphere over aerobics.

There's a sophistication and an elegance to the Junior Boys' body of work that is not absent on Begone Dull Care, making it the perfect soundtrack for any yuppie cocktail lounge. The album's saving grace, though, are the bawdy musical winks scattered throughout, present in flourishes like the playful, loungy arrangement of "Bits & Pieces." It is these touches that make this new album interesting and amusing.

Standout Tracks: "Parallel Lines," "Bits & Pieces" JONAH FLICKER