While they've managed a scattering of singles and remixes in the 2010s, the crowning achievement for track-suited Norwegian act
Datarock was certainly their ambitious 2015 musical which was pulled off with the aid of 87 live musicians. Prior to that, the Bergen-based indie dance band's last proper studio album was 2009's
Red, a sleek and funky synth-rock affair that smoothed some of the punkier edges of their 2005 debut,
Datarock Datarock. Nearly a decade later, the group returns with their third studio effort, 2018's affable and surprisingly uplifting
Face the Brutality. Pared well down from the aural extremism of The Musical,
Face the Brutality doesn't work too hard to break boundaries, focusing instead on doing what
Datarock does best: fusing hooky '80s new wave and electro elements into fun, cheeky dance-rock. Highlights include the infectious Goonies-referencing "Ruffle Shuffle" and the oddly sweet "Feathers & Wax," whose inclusive message of "you're allowed here, you're allowed to come anywhere," resonates throughout the album in a kind of low-key way. Even when the musical tone is darker, like on the
New Order-influenced "Laugh in the Face of Darkness," the band's tongue-in-cheek delivery and amiable tone shine through. All in all,
Face the Brutality is a lighthearted and generally likeable entry in the
Datarock canon.