Morning Star

Moonraker, a fine group that came of Boston in 1998, likes to describe their music as "livetronica" -- which is their way of saying that while they have been greatly influenced by the melodies and rhythms of electronica, they aren't totally electronic themselves. And Moonraker's "livetronica" term could also apply to Morning Star, the second album by Norway's Flunk. Compositionally and melodically, this 2004 release owes a lot to the softer side of electronica -- especially downtempo. But at the same time, Morning Star isn't total electronica in the strict sense; instead, what Flunk aims for on this decent sophomore outing is a healthy blend of electronica and alternative pop/rock with a touch of folk on occasion. Morning Star isn't just about beats; it's also about hypnotic songs that have real verses, real choruses, real lyrics and real vocals (thanks to the very Bj”rk-minded Anja Oyen Vister). Morning Star has something for downtempo enthusiasts, but it also has something for the shoegazer/dream pop crowd; this is an album that can appeal to admirers of Dido, Portishead and early Lush (before they rocked out on 1995's Lovelife and the U.K. hit "Ladykillers") as well as Frou Frou and, of course, Bj”rk. Morning Star underscores the fact that a group can be relevant to alternative pop/rock even though never rock; actually, rocking out doesn't even enter the picture on Morning Star, which is dominated by original material but also contains a cover of New Order's "True Faith." Instead of rocking, these grooves float -- they float along in a consistently ethereal, dreamy atmospheric fashion. And Vister, who obviously shares Bj”rk's love of subtlety and understatement, is quite appropriate for the job. Morning Star falls short of exceptional, but it's a noteworthy demonstration of Flunk's ability to unite downtempo and shoegazer/dream pop sensibilities with consistently likable results. ~ Alex Henderson|