Gary Numan – Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)

With production from techno stalwart Ade Fenton, Gary Numan's first widely-available release since 2006's Jagged convincingly keeps up with latter day efforts by Nine Inch Nails, proving just how deeply and fervently Numan has embraced the poppier end of the industrial spectrum. The snarling guitars and glitchy beats of opener I Am Dust wouldn't have sounded out of place on anything from The Fragile onward.

There are other standout moments, like the anthemic, string-assisted bombast of Here In The Black, with its menacing, whispered verses, and the grinding disco of Love Hurt Bleed. Some trite lyrics and a few plodding, self-indulgent ballads slow the pace – even the combination of Fenton's richly-textured productions and Numan's distinctive wail can't lift these slower tracks. Nonetheless, Numan surpasses not just NIN, but also Depeche Mode's latest work, showing he is still relevant, and canny enough to embrace the tropes of commercial EBM and darkwave without sacrificing his integrity. [Bram E. Gieben]