Fischer and Spooner have grabbed youth’s energy by the flaws. As messages of all sorts these days become more electronically hasty, the duo expound pressured, synthetic britpop, predictable but at least vigorous. But Odyssey falls short of conveying the edgy confusion of our youth’s pins & needles. It’s too passive/aggressive for innovation.

As a developed emotronic sound, however, the sophomore album displays far more consistency than its predecessor in sharper rhythms and albeit rehash, is lyrically devoted to growth spurts and rebellion. Angsty but typical, the sarcastic “We Need A War” bites at unapologetic military powers of the world that be with an uptempo march and wailing sirens laced with ineffective, under-the-breath disgust.

But throughout the album, affected, droning lyrics cloud over a dancefloor full of belated ravers and college kids. All dressed up with no place to go. Grungy synthkits engage their teen-energetic audiences, but flow in uninspired waves.

Most disappointing, though, is their abuse of their unfortunate “signature” backbeat riff, from their original lead track, “Emerge”. “Just Let Go”, “A Kick In The Teeth”, and “Happy” fail to honor it’s originality. Instead of provoking themselves into a better organized version of their erratic debut, #1, Fischerspooner seems content to dumb it all down and play off of the vanity and awkward success they got from it.

This is essentially still life as electronic art, with static pop soundbanks being vainly mixed with the touch of a cable newsmagazine. Uncaptivating and shallow. It isn’t real news.