Somebody that you should know

Belgian singer-songwriter Wally De Backer, aka Gotye, released his third studio album, “Making Mirrors,” in North America on Jan. 31, but its soulful single “Somebody That I Used to Know” has already topped charts.

As a seasoned drummer, Gotye has an ear for dramatic percussion, forming the infectious backbone of tracks such as “Eyes Wide Open,” which sends Phil Collins vibes with lilting vocals.

Unexpected and highly amusing, eighth track “State of the Art” combines at least 10 different instruments — all played by Gotye — and interjections from a retro radio announcer.

“Don’t Worry, We’ll Be Watching You” carries seductive bass notes and an ominous organ to the theme of cult religion.

The album fizzles with a few happy-go-lucky tracks and weakly sampled steel drumbeats from the Harry Belafonte classic “Banana Boat Song” paired with sorrowful lyrics in “Bronte.”

Gotye’s flair proves most effective when sidestepping the topics of love, loss and relationships. Too bad those are the most popular.