Contrary to what their innocent name would have you believe, The Japanese Popstars are actually 3 Irish lads, notorious for churning out face melting techno and house belters. Controlling Your Allegiance is their second studio album to date and gets straight down to business with the thumping kicks and bass slaps of opening track Let Go. The best moments on this album come when TJP stay true to their tough club roots; Song For Lisa is definitely one of the best vocal led electro tracks to appear for some time, and Destroy lays down sleazy spoken words over even sleazier bass throbs. Even though a handful of the tracks on offer are destined to whip many dancefloors into a frenzy, TJP’s formulaic approach starts to sound a little tired overall and their attempts at the softer, more sentimental side of dance music are the sad lowlights of this album. Unfortunately, Controlling Your Allegiance lacks any real cohesion and feels more like a back-catalogue compilation than a true artist album.
BY DANNY SILVER
