Lucky Strike is Richard Morel's second full-length effort, an eclectic melange of progressive house and melancholy electro-pop a la New Order, enhanced by a guitar-based songwriting sensibility that allows him to construct fluid melodies and -- unusually, within an electronica context -- workable lyrics. Sensual, exuberant opener "Cheerful", based on a catchy quasi-symphonic string arrangement, slowly builds into a magnificent pulsating groove that you can actually sing along to. The electric instrumentation (Morel is actually a guitar/bass/drums/keys four-piece) occasionally gets confusing, though, as it triggers simultaneous connections on the conflicting pop/rock/dance regions of your musical brain: you're compelled to listen attentively and dance your ass off at the same time. The pop quotient and the restrained, smart programming consistently help to flesh out Morel's visions of disconnection and alienated sexuality in the form of memorable hooks -- the dirty guitars, soulful flavor and infallible choruses of "Waiting On You" and "I'll Do What I Can Not To Touch You", for example, are vaguely reminiscent of Depeche Mode's experiments with rock-oriented sounds circa Songs Of Faith And Devotion. Deep Dish's 16B lends a hand on the velvety, stylish dance-floor hit "Driving To Heaven"; his studio experience and remixing work for Depeche Mode, New Order and The Pretenders certainly shows.

A healthy alternative to the risks of dance-rock's retro fixation and the watered-down facelessness of standard house, Lucky Strike is a more musically substantive take on contemporary electronica.