The Juan MacLean
, the solo project of former
Six Finger Satellite
guitarist
John MacLean
, is one of the more overlooked entries in
DFA Records
' post-millennial retro-futurist hit parade. While the group's angular, synth-and-vocoder-fueled electro-house is every bit as pulse-raising and ebullient as that of label mates
LCD Soundsystem
and
Hercules and Love Affair
, their oft-channeled aloofness and chilly post-human aesthetics could at times put off all but the most hardened
Kraftwerk
fans. The group's sophomore release,
The Future Will Come
, takes a more user-friendly approach, injecting warmth and buoyancy into the typical machine music tropes of house and techno. Augmented by the addition of
's
Nancy Whang
on vocals, the group hit their stride on the anthemic "Happy House," a bouncing, piano-driven floor slayer that is as joyous as the title; while "The Simple Life" rides a
Moroder
-styled synth arpeggio as
Whang
's siren-like choruses trade off with
MacLean
's detached, conversational verses--recalling the sullen dynamic of the Human League's
Phil Oakley
Susan Sulley
on their synth pop classic "Don't You Want Me?" ~ Dave Shim