Much like Matthew Dear's excellent "Asa Breed," German duo Booka Shade's second full-length unexpectedly merges the minimal electro for which it is best-known with a dusty kind of song-based acoustic folk. The result is simple and sparse, but more satisfying than heavier-handed electronic projects. "Control Me" and "Psychameleon" feel like stripped-down Depeche Mode, with vocalist (and Booka member) Walter Merziger in a tin can instead of a Dave Gahan echo chamber. None of the instrumentals reach the dizzy heights of 2006 international hit "Body Language," which convinced dancefloor holdouts of electro's propensity for beauty. But "Charlotte" comes close, pounding an irresistible synth riff over Casiotone keys. The title track might sound like the "Doogie Howser" theme song on PCP, but more often than not, Booka proves that even the most tech-nerdy electronic music has a melodic heritage. —Kerri Mason