Swedish duo Club 8 have indulged in serious genre dilettantism over the course of nearly two decades together, flirting with trip-hop, bossa nova, dub, twee, and dance. When viewed in this light, new single "Stop Taking My Time" is a return to basic principles, a slice of contemporary club-pop built upon a basic drum pattern and single strobing synth. Thankfully, this new simplicity isn't a death sentence: there's a palpable darkness at work, cultivated by subtle production choices. Karolina Komstedt's voice is backed by an eerie, pitch-shifted echo, and the chorus is rendered especially dramatic by the addition of a second haunting pulse. The sonic maneuvers are appropriate for this bit of lyrically malicious, shadowy pop.

[from Above the City; out 05/21/13 via Labrador]