It’s dirty, it’s sleazy, and it’s most definitely synthesised. Australian duo Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes return with their second long player, Apocalypso. Yes, its club music, but its club music with a more than subtle nod to some great pop, electronic, and punk acts. It’s got that slightly grubby, shady, intimidating feel that works in an indie dive or a dusk til dawn Ibiza rave, and it’s almost a certainty that their videos won’t feature any women in lyrca or school uniforms.The vocals instantly give that uneasy, menacing feel that works so well with this kind of music ”“ The Presets mean business. It’s easy to produce this kind of music in a lazy fashion ”“ and therefore it’s produced on a large scale, compilation after compilation every year. But The Presets have more of a swagger about them, and deservedly so.Apocalypso excudes confidence with every track, and therefore instils it in listeners. These boys know what they’re doing, and they’re taking it damn seriously. Every bleep, blip and loop is perfectly placed and weaved together intricately.‘My People’ is a rousing number with a filthy bassline and boisterous lyrics. Beginning as a fairly bare track, it builds up into a huge multi-layered number ”“ every quiet space is filled with noise throughout, making it a driving, intense track that’s sure to fill dancefloors.Granted there’s a time and place for this music, and if you’re looking for heartfelt lyrics and amazing virtuosity, then keep moving, but The Presets are genuinely good at what they do, and in an industry that caters for the masses, that’s not easy.‘Yippyo-ay’ is a disco inspired number which definitely needs it’s own dance routine. It oozes sass Seventies style, and is a cult Karaoke track in the making. ‘Talk Like That’ is also a classic in the making, with its fairground organs, and, although it may be slightly sacrilegious to say, the vocals at times do sound a little like Ian Curtis, had he been squeezed through a synthesiser.So, instead of another soapstar turned popstar, Australia has sent something decent our way. Two guys who certainly know their way around various knob-twiddling devices, which buttons to press, and how to bring a bit of integrity to a cheesy genre. 65%Links The Presets [official site] [myspace]