by Jason Ankeny
Figurine's sophomore effort largely forgoes the overtly ironic New Romantic-era homages of their debut Transportation-Communication=Love for a more mature electro-pop sound influenced by the contemporary approach of German IDM masters Mouse on Mars -- a step in the right direction, to be certain, but not a smooth or entirely successful transformation. The trio's moribund vocals and robotic melodies evoke Teutonic electronica going back as far as Kraftwerk, but the end result rests somewhere between sincere tribute and deadpan kitsch, an ambivalence that undermines the overall impact, although it's admittedly difficult to treat any album titled The Heartfelt too seriously in the first place.