Not a massive movement forward from Architect’s last album I Went Out Shopping To Get Some Noise, but the results are a definite improvement. The project is the work of Daniel Myer – sound designer behind electronic band Haujobb, and many of the elements found in The Analysis Of Noise Trading will be quite familiar to fans of Meyer.

The album opens with the understated St. Vodka (Mother Russia) – a very lenghty, like most of the tracks are – atmospheric track with an industrial undercurrent that evolves into some pleasantly melodic trance melodies. The subsequent If Jim Would Jam With Richie is much more powerful, with crushing cyber bass stabs and echoey vocals that reminded me a little of Throbbing Gristle – a quite vicious, yet focused track.

Some lyrical content certainly adds a different, and improved dimension, to Architect’s sound – Speed O.J. is an excellent track, which should leave Front Line Assembly or Front 242 fans drooling with its sci-fi synths, bubbling bass and nihilistic industrial attitude.

The production on this album is remarkably smooth; Radio Einheit (Fine Mechanism) glides along with squelchy ticks and beats, and some rusty old piano motifs and tails off with sparkling imagination, so thickly atmospheric – the level of detail undertaken benefits the track enormously. The remainder of the album follows a similar template – with more dark breaks, lit by occasional film samples and darkly architectural, distorted soundscapes and effects.

If harsh but sleekly produced cyber-electro albums are your cup of tea, you can’t go too far wrong with this – even if it’s overall pace is suited to home listening, not clubs.