Neon Neon – Praxis Makes Perfect

Neon Neon’s auspicious debut, Stainless Style, was written in homage to '80s ‘icon’ John DeLorean with the sonic palette to match, but Praxis deals with the life and times of Italian communist sympathiser Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, last seen just before dying in unexplained circumstances in 1972. A different era, but not as far as the music is concerned.

It appears Boom Bip (Bryan Hollon) and Gruff Rhys have grown quite fond of the studio equipment last used by the likes of Yello, Depeche Mode and, eh, Debbie Gibson but it certainly helps that the seasoned Hollon is masterfully adept with it. Rhys’ supreme pop-writing abilities (and notable sense of humour) mean that this sophomore effort is just as much fun as the original.

Power pop ballads in the form of Jaguwar and Dr Zhivago are constructed with no little tongue in bombastic cheek, counterbalanced by the ‘cheery’ denouncement of capitalism that is Shopping (I Like To) featuring none other than '80s icon Sabrina Salerno of Boys (Summertime Love) fame. A synthesised delight. Now where did we put that Rubik's Cube?