When Daft Punk announced they were releasing a new album eight years after 2005's Human After All, fans were starved for new material. The Tron: Legacy score indulged the duo's sci-fi fantasies but didn't offer much in the way of catchy songs, so when Random Access Memories' extensive publicity campaign featured tantalizing clips of a new single, "Get Lucky," their fan base exploded. But when the album finally arrived, that hugely hyped single was buried far down its track list, emphasizing that most of these songs are very much not like "Get Lucky" -- or a lot of the pair's previous music, at least on the surface. The album isn't much like 2010s EDM, either. Instead, Daft Punk separate themselves from most contemporary electronic music and how it's made, enlisting some of their biggest influences to help them get the sounds they needed without samples. On Homework's "Teachers," they reverently name-checked a massive list of musicians and producers. Here, they place themselves on equal footing with disco masterminds Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder, who shares his thoughts on making music with wild guitar and synth solos trailing behind him on one of RAM's definitive moments, "Giorgio by Moroder." Elsewhere, Daft Punk celebrate their close relationship with indie music on the lovely "Doin' It Right," which makes the most of Panda Bear's boyish vocals, and on the Julian Casablancas cameo "Instant Crush," which is only slightly more electronic than the Strokes' Comedown Machine. And of course, Pharrell Williams is the avatar of their dancefloor mastery on the sweaty disco of "Lose Yourself to Dance" and "Get Lucky," which is so suave that it couldn't help but be an instant classic, albeit a somewhat nostalgic one. "Memories" is the album's keyword: As Daft Punk celebrate the late '70s and early '80s with deluxe homages like "Give Life Back to Music" -- one of several terrific showcases for Rodgers -- and the spot-on soft rock of the Todd Edwards collaboration "Fragments of Time," they tap into the wonder and excitement in that era's music. A particularly brilliant example is "Touch," where singer/songwriter Paul Williams conflates his work in Phantom of the Paradise and The Muppet Movie in the song's mystique, charm, and unabashed emotions. Daft Punk have never shied away from "uncool" influences or sentimentality, and both are on full display throughout Random Access Memories. It's the kind of grand, album rock statement that listeners of the '70s and '80s would have spent weeks or months dissecting and absorbing -- the ambition of Steely Dan, Alan Parsons, and Pink Floyd are as vital to the album as any of the duo's collaborators. For the casual Daft Punk fan, this album might be harder to love than "Get Lucky" hinted; it might be too nostalgic, too overblown, a shirking of the group's duty to rescue dance music from the Young Turks who cropped up in their absence. But Random Access Memories is also Daft Punk's most personal work, and richly rewarding for listeners willing to spend time with it.© Heather Phares /TiVo

All tracks are in 24/88.2 excepted the track 4 from disc 2 "Infiniting Repeating (2013 demo)" which is in 24/44.1.Two years after Daft Punk's split in February 2021, comes a reissue of their decade-old final album Random Access Memories in a deluxe version with a nine-track disc bringing together studio outtakes, demos and unreleased tracks. Included are "Horizon" (a ballad released only in the Japanese version at the time), two minutes of vocoder testing by Pharrell Williams for "Lose Yourself to Dance," and two unreleased tracks: "Prime (2012 Unfinished)," which didn't make it to original release, and the soulful "Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo)" featuring Julian Casablancas and The Voidz. (Casablancas would end up on RAM with "Instant Crush.") There's also the delightful "The Writing of Fragments of Time," an eight-minute behind-the-scenes track which puts us in the studio with Daft Punk and producer Todd Edwards as they discuss this "beach road" song, and create it all at once. Thirty-five minutes of bonus material ends with "Touch (2021 Epilogue)," the track composed with their idol Paul Williams, and chosen as the soundtrack for the band's farewell video in 2021. This is a deluxe version that is well worth chasing after. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz

Two chords on the synthesiser and everything is said! More than enough to recognise the singular sound of Eurythmics, the emblematic band from the 1980s. The tandem of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart symbolises perfectly this new synth-pop wave (pop in essence, futuristic in form) so typical of this decade during which guitars had almost become personae non-gratae… And while the British duo topped the charts during the entire decade, Sweet Dreams remains their greatest work. On the partition, Dave Stewart dabbled in a darker new wave, a-la Bowie (Love Is A Stranger) and dared venturing into “krautrock” light (Sweet Dreams). He could go funky (I’ve Got An Angel) or even disco (Wrap It Up). On vocals, Annie Lennox is impressive, as always, switching from soul to a bleak singing voice at will. A true classic! © Clotilde Maréchal/Qobuz

When Daft Punk announced they were releasing a new album eight years after 2005's Human After All, fans were starved for new material. The Tron: Legacy score indulged the duo's sci-fi fantasies but didn't offer much in the way of catchy songs, so when Random Access Memories' extensive publicity campaign featured tantalizing clips of a new single, "Get Lucky," their fan base exploded. But when the album finally arrived, that hugely hyped single was buried far down its track list, emphasizing that most of these songs are very much not like "Get Lucky" -- or a lot of the pair's previous music, at least on the surface. The album isn't much like 2010s EDM, either. Instead, Daft Punk separate themselves from most contemporary electronic music and how it's made, enlisting some of their biggest influences to help them get the sounds they needed without samples. On Homework's "Teachers," they reverently name-checked a massive list of musicians and producers. Here, they place themselves on equal footing with disco masterminds Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder, who shares his thoughts on making music with wild guitar and synth solos trailing behind him on one of RAM's definitive moments, "Giorgio by Moroder." Elsewhere, Daft Punk celebrate their close relationship with indie music on the lovely "Doin' It Right," which makes the most of Panda Bear's boyish vocals, and on the Julian Casablancas cameo "Instant Crush," which is only slightly more electronic than the Strokes' Comedown Machine. And of course, Pharrell Williams is the avatar of their dancefloor mastery on the sweaty disco of "Lose Yourself to Dance" and "Get Lucky," which is so suave that it couldn't help but be an instant classic, albeit a somewhat nostalgic one. "Memories" is the album's keyword: As Daft Punk celebrate the late '70s and early '80s with deluxe homages like "Give Life Back to Music" -- one of several terrific showcases for Rodgers -- and the spot-on soft rock of the Todd Edwards collaboration "Fragments of Time," they tap into the wonder and excitement in that era's music. A particularly brilliant example is "Touch," where singer/songwriter Paul Williams conflates his work in Phantom of the Paradise and The Muppet Movie in the song's mystique, charm, and unabashed emotions. Daft Punk have never shied away from "uncool" influences or sentimentality, and both are on full display throughout Random Access Memories. It's the kind of grand, album rock statement that listeners of the '70s and '80s would have spent weeks or months dissecting and absorbing -- the ambition of Steely Dan, Alan Parsons, and Pink Floyd are as vital to the album as any of the duo's collaborators. For the casual Daft Punk fan, this album might be harder to love than "Get Lucky" hinted; it might be too nostalgic, too overblown, a shirking of the group's duty to rescue dance music from the Young Turks who cropped up in their absence. But Random Access Memories is also Daft Punk's most personal work, and richly rewarding for listeners willing to spend time with it.© Heather Phares /TiVo

Only the most hardhearted of cynics could resist the melancholy sweetness of this album's beloved title track. The song was a hit in 1968, and only became the opening cut on this wonderful album some 20 years later. This well-known recording of the tender ballad -- complete with a 16-piece string section -- is lovely enough. But it is Pops' gravelly voice and inimitable, signature delivery that really bring out its beautiful, aching quality. Also included are such hits as "Cabaret," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," and the Mills Brothers' "I Guess I'll Get the Papers and Go Home." New songs such as "The Home Fire" and "Give Me Your Kisses" show that Armstrong, even in his later years, was still bursting with personality and the essence of jazz. One of his best-selling albums ever, What a Wonderful World is, well, wonderful! This disc acts as a fond tribute to one of the most important figures in American music.© TiVo

Slippery When Wet wasn't just a breakthrough album for Bon Jovi; it was a breakthrough for hair metal in general, marking the point where the genre officially entered the mainstream. Released in 1986, it presented a streamlined combination of pop, hard rock, and metal that appealed to everyone -- especially girls, whom traditional heavy metal often ignored. Slippery When Wet was more indebted to pop than metal, though, and the band made no attempt to hide its commercial ambition, even hiring an outside songwriter to co-write two of the album's biggest singles. The trick paid off as Slippery When Wet became the best-selling album of 1987, beating out contenders like Appetite for Destruction, The Joshua Tree, and Michael Jackson's Bad. Part of the album's success could be attributed to Desmond Child, a behind-the-scenes songwriter who went on to write hits for Aerosmith, Michael Bolton, and Ricky Martin. With Child's help, Bon Jovi penned a pair of songs that would eventually define their career -- “Living on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name” -- two teenage anthems that mixed Springsteen's blue-collar narratives with straightforward, guitar-driven hooks. The band's characters may have been down on their luck -- they worked dead-end jobs, pined for dangerous women, and occasionally rode steel horses -- but Bon Jovi never presented a problem that couldn’t be cured by a good chorus, every one of which seemed to celebrate a glass-half-full mentality. Elsewhere, the group turned to nostalgia, using songs like “Never Say Goodbye” and “Wild in the Streets” to re-create (or fabricate) an untamed, sex-filled youth that undoubtedly appealed to the band’s teen audience. Bon Jovi wasn't nearly as hard-edged as Mötley Crüe or technically proficient as Van Halen, but the guys smartly played to their strengths, shunning the extremes for an accessible, middle-of-the-road approach that wound up appealing to more fans than most of their peers. “It’s alright if you have a good time,” Jon Bon Jovi sang on Slippery When Wet’s first track, “Let It Rock,” and those words essentially served as a mantra for the entire hair metal genre, whose carefree, party-heavy attitude became the soundtrack for the rest of the ‘80s.© Andrew Leahey /TiVo

Produced by Rick Rubin, Johnny Cash’s legendary American recordings are not only among his major musical statements, but also its moving final will. Released in November 2002, American IV – The Man Comes Around is the last volume of the collection that was released while Cash was still alive (He passed away 10 months after its release). Using the famous “cover” recipe, Johnny Cash managed in this record to turn other musicians’ compositions, sometimes recent work, into his own unique style. Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, and Sting are all covered, and when listening to Cash’s rendition of their songs it is sometimes difficult to recall their original versions. As usual, Rubin’s work on the soundboard is devoted to Johnny Cash’s voice. Caught it its last whispers, the voice is haunting, yet never morose.Indeed, the voice is key in “American IV”.  The material can bring chills (the video clip of Hurt is deeply moving and, after listening to the track, Trent Reznor proclaimed “It’s like I have lost my girlfriend. This song doesn’t belong to me anymore…”), Give My Love To Rose evokes a sadness that is a strike at the heart, and I Hung My Head expresses an innocence that is profoundly tender. Even when he deals with the classic repertoire of country music, many that he recorded in the past (Sam Hall, Give My Love To Rose, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Streets of Laredo, Danny Boy) the Man in Black brings to his interpretation the sorrow and sensitivity of his dying condition, always with grace and dignity. A sad yet festive funeral, the record includes many featured guest artists: Fiona Apple and Nick Cave sing, John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Marty Stuart strum their guitars, old partner Cowboy Jack Clement pulls out his dobro, Joey Waronker abandons Beck and Air to join in the rhythm section, and Benmont Tench brings in an array of keyboards including an organ, harmonium, Mellotron, vibraphone and even a Wurlitzer. Music lovers from all over the world recognized what a masterpiece American IV – The Man Comes Around had been created, and its reception led it to be a gold record, which was Johnny Cash’s first in thirty years. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

Real Power is Gossip's first album in 12 years, when singer Beth Ditto walked away to launch a solo career, act, start a clothing line and model. She has admitted to needing a break, but that "in the music industry you're not allowed to have that. So you end up making things you don't like. You become a product." Indeed, Gossip's last record, A Joyful Noise, felt a bit phoned-in after the hurricane force of their mid-aughts, indie sleaze-defining output. Now, the band is recharged, but bearing battle scars—Ditto divorced her wife, who she had been with since she was 18; lost her father; and fell out of sorts with co-founder and guitarist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell after he became a born-again Christian. The two have repaired their relationship and, along with drummer Hannah Blilie, they're not just re-treading the same old ground. For one thing, producer Rick Rubin—a Buddhist and Transcendental Meditation devotee who can rock out with the best of them—was a fascinating choice to oversee their comeback, and Ditto has said he brought a needed calm and peace to the proceedings. That does not mean boring. Songs like "Tough" and "Don't Be Afraid" feel stripped down and vulnerable compared to old Gossip records; that's not to say stark, but the air shifts to allow Ditto to bare a tender, Freda Payne-esque side. "Crazy Again" is subdued but with sunny guitar and a great kick-in, as Ditto seems to sing about finding love after divorce: "Don't invite me home/ I'm fragile at the moment/ Heart of glass." "Turn the Card Slowly," meanwhile, feels haunted—its edgy, lone-wolf guitar line tracking lines such as "Is it the last time?/ Was it the first time?/ Your love is a swinging door"; it's like a transmission from some alternate Stevie Nicks universe. "Edge of the Sun" is velveteen dance-floor pop, "Give It Up for Love" plays with New Wave disco, and "Light It Up" applies a sing-song melody to emo-pop mid-tempo balladry. "Act of God" is an absolute fearless delight: a thick slab of Motown soul set to cheeky organ and a great galloping rhythm, conjuring wild horses tromping across a landscape. And the title track sounds like revolution via the revelation that it's not enough just to make a difference in an insular community. Accompanied by cool funk guitar and buzzy synth, Ditto sounds every bit the soul diva as she declares "Rhythm in my blood, my heart is pounding … I want real power." © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

A guitarist worshipped by Jimi Hendrix, an insanely good falsetto singer that even Prince looked up to, an author heavily involved in the American civil rights movement and a top-tier songwriter: Curtis Mayfield was a man of many talents. His groovy symphonies helped form solid links between funk, jazz, blues, soul and traditional gospel. After making his name with The Impressions in the 60s, he embarked on a solo career in 1970. This box set named Keep On Keeping On contains the singer’s first four studio albums, each remastered in Hi-Res 24-Bit quality: Curtis (1970), Roots (1971), Back to the World (1973) and Sweet Exorcist (1974). Here, the rhythm'n'blues enjoy a second life, supported by a wah-wah guitar, careful percussion and an always airy string section. Every topic concerned is a mini-tragedy, socially engaged, anchored in traditional gospel music. The masterful arranging of these albums (especially his masterpiece Curtis, and Roots) can be considered rivals to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. It is worth mentioning that this 1970-1974 box set does not include the soundtrack to Superfly, Gordon Parks Jr.’s 1972 film which contains the singles Pusherman and Freddie’s Dead. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

Dido’s fifth studio album Still on My Mind was produced with her elder brother and long-time partner in crime Rollo Armstrong (who is also co-founder of the electronic group, Faithless). “It was made in such an easy way, all the vocals recorded on the sofa, a lot of it recorded at home”, the famous performer of the hits Thank You and Here With Me explained. Over the course of 12 songs the two artists tried to encapsulate all the musical styles they loved, from 90’s dance and dream pop to folk and hip-hop. Putting the finishing touches to this colourful array of genres are stunning background vocals (Give You Up) and a melancholic piano (Walking By). The lyrics of the album generally revolve around the theme of love, whether in a positive light relating to the power of music (You Don’t Need a God) or being hurt by someone (Give You Up). Dido (whose real name is Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong), dedicated this collection of songs to her young son which is perhaps the reason why these tracks almost seem like lullabies, especially Still on My Mind and the beautiful melody in Some Kind of Love. Accompanied by a simple acoustic guitar, her gentle voice performs wonders. © Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz

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Turnpike Troubadours is one of those IYKYK acts, able to headline Red Rocks but rarely played on mainstream country radio. Often called one of the best groups in contemporary country music (though that's discounting their Red Dirt roots, incorporating folk, rock, bluegrass, Western swing and more), they are also a musicians' band able to attract a catholic list of openers including Dawes, Old 97's, the Avett Brothers, Steve Earle and Ray Wylie Hubbard. But four years ago, there was fear that the magic had disappeared after a high-profile demolition derby—including singer/guitaristEvan Felker temporarily leaving his wife for Miranda Lambert, plus show cancellations and a viral video of Felker seemingly so drunk he couldn't perform—that led to the band taking an open-ended hiatus. The break only reenergized them. Now sober, Felker sounds great, the band is tight, and the songwriting is sure and purposeful. Produced by Shooter Jennings, the Troubadours' sixth album is one of the most exciting of the year. It's also full of regrets and humility and a determination to make it right. Felker, an Americana poet, gets straight to the heart of the messy matter with "Chipping Mill," an apology to his wife, with whom he reunited and started a family. "Ran my heart through a chipping mill/ Sold my soul for rock 'n' roll … Drank my way through a hurricane/ Thinking about your wedding ring/ I done a lot of real dumb things/ But I always kept the best for you." "Mean Old Sun" is killer, all driving guitars and sorrowful fiddle from Kyle Nix, and Felker counting the "Empty promises I've given." Hank Early's steel guitar is like an empathetic echo on the easy-paced and declarative "The Rut," as Felker proclaims, "I don't miss the taste of liquor/ Or really anything about it/ But the temporary shelter." Felker adopts a sort of Billy Bragg delivery for "Brought Me," an excellent bit of winsome folk and Appalachian tent gospel. "Lucille" is stark and moody with a gorgeous chorus, and the title track—keening with eye-watering steel—has an Uncle Tupelo feel. "Three More Days" is lovely neotrad country. "East Side Love Song (Bottoms Up)" strides like a honky-tonk shuffle, while Cajun-swampy "Black Sky" features howling harmonica and fiddle plus creek-baptism chorus harmony. There's joy and redemption to be found in closer "Won't You GIve Me One More Chance," with its high-lonesome harmonica and The Last Waltz vibe. Fans can look forward to a moving singalong in concert: "Won't you give me one more chance/ To make it with you/ Forget about the bad/ I don't believe we're through." © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

The soul music of the 21st century has sometimes had the unfortunate tendency to prioritise analog production techniques in order to bring about a revival, losing sight of making beautiful music. Jalen Ngonda, on the other hand, isn’t faking it. His first album, released on Daptone Records and entitled Come Around and Love Me, presents itself as a magnificent time machine. A contemporary dive into authentic Motown sound, we hear the formulae that brought in the golden age of the genre in the 70s, the bright congas that gave rhythm to Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” the guitar riffs that Isaac Hayes refines terrifically, and that high voice singing about love and its torments, crooning about pleas of the heart, the album’s main theme. Come Around and Love Me is a superb record, where the musicians seem to fade into the background in order to completely lend themselves to the lead performer, who takes up the space and shines. © Brice Miclet/Qobuz

With this CD, the young Canadian singer/pianist/arranger joins forces with producer Tommy LiPuma, who places his orchestral stamp on eight of the 13 tracks. It is the latest attempt to push Krall to an even wider pop/smooth jazz audience than she already enjoys. After all, Nat Cole, Wes Montgomery, and George Benson, among others, went this route. Wonder if she'd agree the cuts sans strings were more fun and challenging? Krall does get to it with central help from bassists John Clayton and Ben Wolfe, drummers Jeff Hamilton and Lewis Nash, and guitarist Russell Malone, all stellar players. Krall's voice is sweet and sexy. She's also flexible within her range and at times a bit kitschy, mostly the hopeless romantic. On this CD of love songs, it's clear she's cool but very much in love with this music. Bob Dorough's "Devil May Care" and the insistent "Best Thing for You" really click. Favorites are a decent Shearing-esque "Let's Fall in Love" with vibist Larry Bunker; a suave slow bossa on the opening number, "Let's Face the Music"; the lusher-than-lush title track; and especially an incredible horn-fired fanfare intro/outro on the hip "Pick Yourself Up." Some might call this fluff or mush, but it depends solely on your personal taste. This will certainly appeal to Krall's fans, lovers, and lovers at heart.© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo

A new treat for Paul McCartney fans! McCartney himself has selected 160 tracks, including 65 singles and their B sides, to create one of the most ambitious box sets of his career. This collection is topped off with about fifteen unreleased singles on 45s and other demos/promos, all remastered and recorded in London’s iconic Abbey Road studios—where else? It’s perfect for the physical collector too: the box set is available in an alluring Redwood pine and Birch Ply wooden art crate.It’s a dizzying ten-hour journey through the biggest-selling albums of McCartney’s fifty-year solo career; a retrospective compilation, which kicks off with ‘Another Day’. This was his first single after the Beatles disbanded in 1970 and was co-written with his wife Linda during The Wings’ Ram sessions (an instant hit, reaching No. 2 in England and No. 5 in the USA). The collection ends with ‘Women and Wives’, taken from his last album McCartney III – a song he wrote and composed alone whilst on his Sussex farm during lockdown.In between these tracks, you’ll be treated to songs like ‘Live and Let Die’ (composed for the James Bond soundtrack in 1973), a live version of ‘The Mess’ (performed in The Hague), his proto-electronic hit ‘Temporary Secretary’, and his 80s hits with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, ‘Ebony and Ivory’ and ‘Say Say Say’. This stunning compilation also features ‘Fuh You’ and ‘Come On to Me’, both taken from Egypt Station, his 2018 album that proved that even sixty years after his debut, McCartney hadn’t lost any of his flair for pop. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz

The choice of Curtis Mayfield to score the blaxploitation film Super Fly was an inspired one. No other artist in popular music knew so well, and expressed through his music so naturally, the shades of gray inherent in contemporary inner-city life. His debut solo album, 1970's Curtis, had shown in vivid colors that the '60s optimist (author of the civil-rights anthems "Keep On Pushing" and "People Get Ready") had added a layer of subtlety to his material; appearing on the same LP as the positive and issue-oriented "Move On Up" was an apocalyptic piece of brimstone funk titled "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go." For Super Fly, Mayfield wisely avoids celebrating the wheeling-and-dealing themes present in the movie, or exploiting them, instead using each song to focus on a different aspect of what he saw as a plague on America's streets. He also steers away from explicit moralizing; through his songs, Mayfield simply tells it like it is (for the characters in the film as in real life), with any lessons learned the result of his vibrant storytelling and knack of getting inside the heads of the characters. "Freddie's Dead," one of the album's signature pieces, tells the story of one of the film's main casualties, a good-hearted yet weak-willed man caught up in the life of a pusher, and devastatingly portrays the indifference of those who witness or hear about it. "Pusherman" masterfully uses the metaphor of drug dealer as businessman, with the drug game, by extension, just another way to make a living in a tough situation, while the title track equates hustling with gambling ("The game he plays he plays for keeps/hustlin' times and ghetto streets/tryin' ta get over"). Ironically, the sound of Super Fly positively overwhelmed its lyrical finesse. A melange of deep, dark grooves, trademarked wah-wah guitar, and stinging brass, Super Fly ignited an entire genre of music, the blaxploitation soundtrack, and influenced everyone from soul singers to television-music composers for decades to come. It stands alongside Saturday Night Fever and Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols as one of the most vivid touchstones of '70s pop music.© John Bush /TiVo

Most North Americans seem to believe Yello's career began and ended with "Oh Yeah," the 1985 tune from their album Stella that became unavoidable in movies and television for years afterward. But the truth is, Yello have been a presence in international pop music since 1980, and with their 13th album, 2016's Toy, they've reminded us that they're still making smart, well-crafted, and politely subversive electronic pop more than three decades after their biggest hit. Stylistically, Toy doesn't sound radically different than the work Yello did in the '80s and '90s, though their touch has grown a bit lighter with time. These tunes are pop that exists somewhere between crisp EDM-influenced rhythms and witty ambient music. Boris Blank (who handles the group's music and production) moves back and forth from upbeat numbers with tuneful hooks and dance-friendly percussive effects to low-key soundscapes that, despite their playful edge, communicate a mood far more than a melody. Vocalist and lyricist Dieter Meier was 71 when Toy was released, but his gruff, smoky instrument fits the clean, polished surfaces of this music remarkably well, like Leonard Cohen's eccentric cousin from Switzerland. Toy wisely front-loads the catchier numbers, especially "Limbo," "Cold Flame" (featuring guest vocals from Malia), and "30,000 Days," while the set closes with more abstract and free-flowing tracks such as "Magma" and "Toy Square." Toy doesn't sound especially innovative, but it certainly demonstrates that Yello haven't been resting on their laurels, and at its best, the album applies new thinking in electronic pop with the melodic and production approaches that have always been part of Yello's music, for a set that's fresh but unmistakably their work.© Mark Deming /TiVo