Iko Itzu - The Electronic Fighter

Electronic Fighter is an unusual and intriguing name for an album, and this debut by the Cologne-based artist is definitely an intriguing affair. Verging on the minimal, it initially comes across as the bridge between the main-room anthems of producers like Steve Angello, and the warm delicacy of Gui Boratto. Many of the tracks are epic instrumentals which wouldn't sound out of place on a Kompakt compilation. However, some tracks feature generic vocals from souless singers, which sound average and clichéd. The end result is an album which isn't sure if it wants to be a serious tech-house release or a radio-friendly collection waiting to be a mainstream success. With a little more focus there could be either a cross-over hit or an underground anthem on this album, but it's too unsure of what it wants to be. [Scott Ramage]