The second album by the Florida duo Audio Explorations, 2002's Action Reaction, continues the synthed-out slowcore of their 2000 debut, Who Wrote the Words to Everyone's Dreams, but with a few changes. Multi-instrumentalists James Tritten and Steven Haley (who makes his vocal debut this time around) are in a considerably more upbeat mood here, closer in tone to the wry ruefulness of Luna than the narcotic angst of Galaxie 500. A dreamy blend of vintage synthesizers, hushed vocals, and minimalist guitar, these nine lengthy songs -- all but one well-over four minutes, with the ruminative "I Don't Want to Be a Rock Star" breaking the seven-minute barrier -- share much with folks like Damon & Naomi, Low, and the American Analog Set, but this album also has a delicate quality that recalls such disparate artists as the Magnetic Fields and the Kings of Convenience. Audio Explorations may not have an entirely unique sound, but Action Reaction is delightful regardless. ~ Stewart Mason