[06.03] Most people will be pleasantly surprised with Lali Puna's new single, Left Handed. Gone are the cute keyboards and delicate vocals of yester-album. This time around, producer Markus Acher requested the help of fellow Notwist band mate Max Punktezahl, and it sounds like the pair decided to turn it up a few notches. With dissonant guitars (no WAY!), abrasive samples, and the vocals of Valerie Trebeljahr mixed in the front, Lali Puna's new in-your-face production aesthetic makes for a more polished and—dare I say—"modern" Lali Puna sound. Well, modern in that is sounds more like everything else these days...that's Ok, though.

This is a good little collection of songs. The first track is followed by a dub mix of the title track. The last track is actually something the band did back in 1999, a cover of Giorgio Moroder and Phil Oakey's (Human League) classic "Together in Electric Dreams." Soft and cute, with spoken word stylings and a simple beat, this track takes us back to those days before we were completely numbed by the tidal wave of "new" '80s refurbished electro; when it seemed like electronic music was actually going in new directions. Ah, those were the days…

It seems Lali Puna is no longer content with being your favorite obscure knob-twiddling Darla gem. Judging from this single, they are poised to make quite a loud bang with their next release; a shift that may alienate some of their veteran listeners, but will likely make them the stars they have always deserved to be. With Lali Puna still around, there is still hope for electronic music. Let's just hope they don't change any more than they already have. —Nyles