MELLENY MELODY AND THE POP MACHINE Super Happy Darkness

Upon first glance, this album looks like it would be the project of some experimental Japanese pop outfit. Melleny Melody is a Torontonian notorious for her lounge queen persona and cartoon character voice work. The pop Machine that accompanies here are none other than Dave Howard and Peter Jarvis for their Djing, remixing, and multimedia work. The music is kitschy dance beats with nonsensical bubbly lyrics, touching on deep house, lounge, and occasionally speedy break-beats, like on "401", which owes a sonic debt to the work of Fantastic Plastic Machine. For those who need a little more bang, there is an additional remix CD, where DJ Iain gives "Love Shower" the epic hard trance makeover. (Gay, www.gayrecords.com) Rob Bolton