(DFA)

www.dfarecords.com

There's something very ‘80s about the new The Juan MacLean record, The Future Will Come. It's not exactly the production, although MacLean's electro-house beats are sort of fashioned after the drum machine and synth-powered pop music of that decade. No, it's more his shared vocal duties with Nancy Whang (also of LCD Soundsystem) that causes this recall.

While MacLean sings in an enjoyably overbearing Goth tone, Whang sounds almost detached and robotic. This dichotomy works well. On the album's opening track, "The Simple Life," after almost half the song has gone by, Whang takes her turn at the mic. After the chorus, MacLean picks up the slack for a bit. It's not exactly The Human League's "Don't You Want Me?" but it's close. The record's title track rides on a bouncing, syncopated disco beat, one of several moments that remind one of LCD Soundsystem in a big way. But it's not like MacLean is aping James Murphy's style, he's just part of the extended family.

In fact, despite his rock background, MacLean is buried much deeper in the world of electronic music straight from the club, and less in the world of dance-punk. "Happy House," the album's closing track and a popular song from last year, hammers this point home, as Whang sings "Launch me into space" over and over again. As the song throbs to its close, it's impossible not to follow her into the stratosphere.

Standout Tracks: "The Simple Life," "Happy House" JONAH FLICKER