I for one was a little worried about Danish synthrock quintet Spleen United’s follow up to acclaimed debut ‘Godspeed Into The Mainstream’ (2005). Their insanely tight and uncompromising synth soundscape seemed to leave the band with only two choices: A) to hit repeat and risk loosing their edge, or B) move in a whole new direction and risk loosing their edge – and fans.

I guess it’s the classic dilemma for any band getting it right the first time (there’s a reason why “the difficult second” has become a cliché), and very often a dilemma spawning if not wrong then questionable decisions. Standing on the shoulders of their machine-gun precise, dark analogue synthrock Spleen United faced tough choices and went on to choose a third and just right.

Their solution? Bringing blitzing rays of sunshine into their (still very) gloomy universe via 1990s eurodance and house (just check the intro to ‘Suburbia’ playing below revisiting 2 Unlimited’s 1993 hit ‘No Limit’ or Faithless inspired instrumental track ‘Dominator’), striking the golden mean between what was and right now.

Produced by Spleen United and Michael Patterson (Beck, Notorious B.I.G, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club among others) ‘Neanderthal’ touches on modern day alienation as general theme in shorter, to-the-point songs displaying brothers and principal songwriters Bjarke and Gaute Parbo Niemann’s irrefutable knack for punch- and hooklines on a second album that takes the “difficult second” cliché, chews it up and spits it out.

Now I just worry about their third…

Genre: Rock/Synthrock
Who: Spleen United
Title: Neanderthal
Label: Copenhagen Records
Year: 2008
Country: Denmark
Language: English
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Recommended tracks:
Suburbia – My Tribe – Dominator – High Rise – My Jungle Heart