I really wouldn’t have expected to be praising this Scottish band but here I am in 2009. Their 2004 TV advert hit “Take Me Out” sold Sony Playstations but I thought its indie rock disco attempts were too transparent: emotional vulnerability transitioning quickly to swagger, swagger, swagger. Then pre-release murmurs of the band incorporating African pop found me fearing the worst – more Vampire Weekend pastiche? However Tonight changed my opinion of their direction.

As a concept album, its trajectory heads through an all-nighter party and crashes into the morning after. Musically, they’re not pulling a 180 here as the usual indie rock elements are found but it’s artistically more focused and confident. Hit “No You Girls” recreates the swagger of breakout single “Take Me Out” but the reverb-heavy dub of “Dream Again” and acoustic closer “Katherine Kiss Me” showcase the band’s ability to expertly traverse more genres.

Synthesizers are far more prominent and they may have outdone the hybrid pop dance sound of Primal Scream’s 2008 album Beautiful Future. Tracks “Send Him Away” and “Lucid Dreams” are really the only songs that prominently display African pop guitars. Talking Heads guitars if you like yourself some cultural appropriation. “Lucid Dreams” clocked at 7:56 takes the 3:41 single version released in August 2008 (confusingly labeled “Album Version”) and twists it into an extended club cut with a four minute instrumental outro of Minimoog synths and programmed beats reminiscent of DFA productions.

A much stronger effort from start to end, this is an album ready-made for hedonistic dance party playlists.

If you’re into Franz Ferdinand’s take on dub, the loop-based Blood bonus disc of the deluxe edition might be more to your fancy (I found it dull.)