AND ONE BODYPOP 1½ ALBUM OUT OF LINE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 13, 2009 REVIEW: FEBRUARY 25, 2009

Steve Naghavi apparently felt an overwhelming urge to educate today's younger generations musically as "Bodypop 1½" contains no less than nine covers of electronic milestones from the eighties. And One do it with flare and uncontrollable live energy, injecting timeless classics with their patented sound.

Before we even get to hear the furious tributes there are five "new" tracks, two of which are new versions of tracks from previous album "Bodypop". The "Ur Version" of "So klingt Liebe" starts slowly and arrives at its original club beat toward the end, taking little away from its origin, but also doesn't add very much. The lyrics for "Love You to the End" have been changed, transforming it into a shameless Depeche Mode homage. "Love Is a Drug Abuser", "Paddy Is My DJ" and "Und wenn" are the previously unreleased tracks (well, there's a limited 7" vinyl for "Paddy Is My DJ" too) and they all sound pretty uninspired. The instrumental "Und Wenn" does build impressive sound frames and balances nicely between moody and clubby.

No, the covers - recorded live - are what make "Bodypop 1½" such a great party disc! Most of And One's interpretations sport the same underlying synth bass and overall structure, but Steve and co. still pull this difficult cover project off beautifully! Upbeat club pop versions of "The Great Commandment" (Camouflage), "It's a Sin" (Pet Shop Boys), "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (A-ha) and "Big in Japan" (Alphaville) will make every European electro dancefloor glow. Enough said!

NIKLAS FORSBERG