By Paul V.

Singled Out

Madonna - The Beat Goes On - Warner Bros.

I just don’t know what to make of this. It’s pleasant enough with its strummed guitars and skeletal beats, but it sounds more like an unfinished idea instead of full-fledged Madge jam. Maybe this is just a demo or something, but — yawn?

Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release - Interscope

Hot on the heels of remixing everyone from Björk to the Klaxons to Arctic Monkeys and Muse, London duo Simian Mobile Disco finally drop their much-anticipated proper debut, ready to lure both disco dollies and indie rock rousers to the dance floor. Armed with jaw-wobbling basslines and twitchy, gurgling, electro flourishes, the aptly-titled ADSR is a seamless club-minded record that looks over its shoulder to the ’90s house era with a totally 2007 new rave update. Lead single “It’s the Beat” (featuring The Go! Team’s Ninja on vox) is the most apparent example of this retro/future marriage, as its main synth stab comes right out of Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” and features a faux-rapped, streetwise vocal. Similarly, standout “Hustler” is a pulsating, sleazy tale about surviving the nightlife and hitting the record store to go steal some beats. Then waves of staccato sequencers pepper “Hotdog” with an unapologetically fantastic, fluid bounce, almost like Daft Punk boiled down to their essence, or Fatboy Slim with half the budget and all the brilliance. The only time they wind down the tempo slightly is on the hypnotic, ambient “Scott,” and with their former Simian vocalist (Simon Lord) on the undulating, melodic and bathhouse-friendly “I Believe.” While SMD certainly don’t reinvent the techno/electro wheel, if you feel like getting down hard with Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers, Kraftwerk and Lords of Acid under the strobe light, this is the perfect collection to keep you very switched-on.

Paul Van Dyk - In Between - Mute

There’s probably no need to clue you in to Paul Van Dyk’s status as a legendary DJ and remixer, but in case you haven’t been to a nightclub in the past 10 years, well—that’s his deal. The German techno-trance titan releases his first disc in four years (and the first after his Grammy nomination), and about half of it is fairly tasty, while the other half borders on tedium. But let’s stick to the tasty, shall we? “Talk In Grey” is a definite highlight, featuring a fantastic melody, a bit of rock guitar and a handsome guest vocal from L.A.’s Ryan Merchant, and this would’ve sounded right at home on the Killers’ debut CD. On lead single “White Lies,” Pussycat Doll singer Jessica Sutta mines—or is that mimes?—a bit of Kylie Minogue in her sex-kitten vocals on this four-to-the-floor club banger (but the lyrics are just plain stupid and sophomoric, unfortunately). I do kind of like the tracks featuring vocalist Lo-Fi Sugar though, and she does a great job on “Haunted” (the opening track) and “Castaway.” And it’s Mr. David Byrne (Talking Heads) who closes out the set on the breezy and pleasing “Fall With Me.” But I have to be honest here: With 17 tracks crammed on this disc, the songs bleed into each other with little variance in tempo, mood, feeling or structure. You’d probably be better served seeking out some of these sole tracks digitally.

The Last Goodnight - Poison Kiss - Virgin

Hailing from Enfield, Conn. (is that a first?), the Last Goodnight are a new quintet making some waves on the pop-alt-rock meter. Their debut traces the nuances of life and love through a kaleidoscope of rock, pop, jazz, folk and soul touches, and the result is 12 songs rife with ’80s musical references and classic rock splashes, but with a modern twist. You’ll definitely hear influences here, from Hall and Oates to the Verve to Bruce Springsteen and ELO, and it mainly works. Their sound is piano-driven but guitar heavy, and at times rhythmic, lush and soulful. Lead singer Kurtis John (who kind of looks like Trent Reznor’s cute little bro) has one of those soaring and slightly raspy throats that packs a punch. On paper, this should be a great formula, right? But, that’s the downfall of this group: by the fifth or sixth song, the words formulaic and generic overtake your brain. First single “Pictures of You” (not the Cure song) is rollicking enough and has an obvious hook, and “Push Me Away” and “Back Where We Belong” definitely prove some songwriting skills are going on, but they just sound like they’re straining to prove they can lay some emotion on you. It’s not outright hideous, but this is the kind of record suited for teen girls at the mall (who think Maroon 5 are deep), or dudes who like the music from TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy.

Check out DJ Paul V. spinning at Bootie L.A. the first Saturday monthly at Safari Sam’s and, on various Fridays, at Miss Kitty’s Parlour. Tune in Indie 103.1 FM on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. for the “Smash Mix” and, on Saturdays from midnight to 3 a.m., for “Neon Noise.” More info at www.MySpace.com/SmashMix.