With a track named after an Ibiza nightclub (Sunset at Cafe Mambo) and others that might as well be (Black Dyce, Floj, Klepht), it’s clear where this Swedish producer’s heart lies: Playa d’en Bossa, surrounded by toned abdominals. Prydz’s gift is in squaring the aggressive inanity of EDM with the passive inanity of progressive house, sometimes making gold from these base metals by plating them with Kraftwerkian pop melody. Across two hours, there’s plenty of dross: techno-leaning tracks lack danger, while others could soundtrack the bland aspiration of a duty-free shop. But just as he sampled Steve Winwood for his number one hit Call on Me, Prydz knows the value of a yacht-rock vocal, and the uplifting Generate, Breathe and Liberate all feature singers surely wearing sunglasses in the studio. His signature flourish, meanwhile, remains gigantically satisfying: a pair of boulder-splitting snares that announce the drop. After four minutes of build on the title track, their arrival is like a glitter cannon to the face.
