Flunk return with their brand of sleepy-eyed electronica that turns down the machines and adds lots of strumming acoustic and slide guitar. Yes, I said slide guitar and it blends just as well as all the 80's synths showing up lately. Flunk has a knack for making mellow music that escapes boredom and most of the cheesy elements that show up in the post-trip hop/chill electronica category.

1. Personal Stereo
2. Heavenly
3. If We Kiss
4. Haldi (feat. Daniel Johnston)
5. Sit Down
6. See You
7. Two Icicles
8. Change My Ways
9. Keep On
10. Diet Of Water And Love

"Two Icicles" comes across as Cocteau Twins meets Olive (remember them?) with sort-of drum and bass beats, strong string synths and soaring (in range) vocals, reminding the listener of the early days of electronica while simultaneously showing where it is now. "Change My Ways" is catchy, with a simple groove, great background effects, and somewhat folky acoustic guitar that all lend to a great pop song. It's one of those "I feel guilty for singing along in my car" songs that make you forget yourself and nod along.

Other standout tracks are "Heavenly" with it's dreamy vocals whispering in your ear like U2 and New Order playing each other's songs at the same time. The title track "Personal Stereo", "samples" a line from REM and makes it a meditation on sending out a song to the one you love. It's a classic Flunk sound that captures the way they can turn a simple yet elegant melody into a moment that sticks in your head for quite some time.

~ Dedric Moore

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