METRO AREAMetro Area 5 Record label: Environ Format: 12" Release date: May 2004 Hard to believe that it’s been over two years since Metro Area put out their last single. And seeing as how Metro Area 4 included the inescapable hit “Miura,” anticipations were bound to run high. Since the release of that single (as well as their successful debut album), a swarm of imitators have popped up attempting to replicate the retro, but it’s not quite the same. Seems as if the bandwagon jumpers forgot one small detail: Morgan Geist and Darshan Jesrani may visit the past, but they don’t live there. The pair of songs on single number five should make that abundantly clear. “Nerves” pulsates with a future rhythm that’s slightly techno in its arrangement, but makes a turn for house towards the bridge with piano and strings at the head. “Proton Candy” feels quite different with a driving disco beat and a bassline that’ll burn your retinas. There’s a tension within these tracks that I don’t remember hearing on their earlier works, and I’m sure that others will notice. The effect of these offerings isn’t as immediate as “Miura” or “Atmosphrique,” but they come from a different place – one that obviously won’t settle for being predictable. So Metro Area has thrown us a bit of a curveball on this one, but it should be interesting to see where they go from here. {chloe knuckles}
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