You may think that singer from dance pop band (New Order alum Bernard Sumner) plus guitarist from pop rock bands (Johnny Marr, from the Smiths and The The) equals a nice little formulaic dance rock hybrid, but that's not exactly true on Twisted Tenderness, their first release since Raise the Pressure four years ago. The album does combine dance music and rock, though so remarkably well and with so little contrivance that you don't even realize it's happening. Tracks like "Make It Happen" and a cover of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" raise the question, is this dance music or rock? But it doesn't matter, because the flat-out dance numbers still rock while the straight-up rock songs are still danceable.

While Twisted Tenderness struts its up-to-the-minute production values, the dancier numbers harken back to some of the best work of New Order and Pet Shop Boys. The more rocking tunes are delicious by their own right, but they stand out also because seemingly no one is making stuff like this anymore, with fast, backbeat-driven, non-grunge derivative chords, and catchy melodies sung rather than screamed or grunted.

Twisted Tenderness is not perfect. In fact, a few snoozers make it a bit of a trial to get through the 14 tracks and 77 minutes. But it rewards patience, as the songs evolve naturally, rather than in three-minute, throwaway fashion. The most moving part of "Make It Happen" comes at the sixth minute of the track when the string section swells and Sumner throws an inversion at the main melody.

Electronic own the maturity and integrity of a veteran band but with a freshness of spirit rarely displayed by artists 20 years into their careers. Fans of Sumner and Marr would do well to check this out.