LCD Soundsystem scores again

Post-punk bands have always had an affinity for dance music, but no group since New Order has managed to synthesize the two styles as effectively as LCD Soundsystem. The group’s newest album, “This is Happening,” is an incredibly cohesive and just plain fun experience.

Following “Sound of Silver,” an album that made it onto many critics’ best-of-the-decade lists, LCD Soundsystem had a lot to live up to. It’s clear from the first track, “Dance Yrself Clean,” that this album is a worthy successor.

The track begins with sparse percussion and leader James Murphy, who sounds like he’s singing from the next room over. After building up a sense of rejection for three minutes, suddenly the synths come bursting in, and Murphy joyously comes to life for the rest of the track’s nine minutes (only one song is under four minutes).

That shortest track, “Drunk Girls,” is the album’s only disappointment. Although the song works well as a single, it feels underdeveloped compared to the rest of the album. Disguised by the stupid subject matter, Murphy still gets in a few good lines: “Drunk girls know that love is like an astronaut / It comes back, but it’s never the same.”

Elsewhere, Murphy gets to show off his influences. Pre-ambient Eno and Berlin-era Bowie abound, with “All I Want” being the most obvious example. The guitar tone is lifted directly from “Heroes,” but the song never feels overtly derivative. A rare instance where Murphy actually establishes an emotional connection, it’s soaringly beautiful and the album’s best song. Other highlights include “You Wanted a Hit” and the Talking Heads-influenced “Pow Pow,” where Murphy channels a nervous David Byrne from “Cities.”

“This is Happening” is an album of dance music that you don’t have to feel guilty about liking.