And so, once upon a time, Kraftwerk left the safety of their synths and were dragged into a sex shop, adorned with porn and tack, given a sense of humour and then transported to futurism's future. Add N to (X) are modern electronica's rubber clad retro black sheep, refusing to exchange their Moogs and theramins for modern comforts, rejecting the po-faced gravity of their peers to luxuriate in kitsch.
Their third full length album sizzles with sleaze like a Soho back alley. 'You Must Create' is the sound of a Korg getting down and dirty with Jon Spencer; swopped, on the eerie, S and M bound 'Hit for Cheese' for The Thrill Kill Kult. They even have a track delicately called 'Poke Er'.
But, satisying as they are, this isn't just synthesized sex and deliciously bad puns. More varied than last year's magnificent 'Avant Hard', 'Add Insult to Injury' is a kaleidoscopic electro vision, taking in football chanting ('Monster Bobby'), sinister drum and bass experimentalism ('Incinerator No 1'), robotic pop (the single, 'Plug Me In') and epic military band space-scaping ('The Regent Is Dead') with the shocking innovativeness usually reserved for computer music dorks.
True, 'Kingdom Of Shades' is a tad Jethro Tull but if anyone can make hideous face foliage and flutes cool, it's this trashy trio. Go on, plug 'em in. You know you want to.
