Today, bands arrive fully formed, in a blizzard of frenzied hype. Their first work is heralded as a masterpiece, as, possibly, is their second, and, in the main, their resultant albums are subject to the law of diminishing returns.

Mercifully, that is not the case with Bent. Their stunning fourth album 'Intercept' is the sound of a band hitting top form.

After seven years sculpting some of the most interesting music on the electronic/dance/ambient/house/call-it- what-you-bleedin-like scene, Nail Tolliday and Simon Mills' new album fizzes with a joyful dynamism, that while hinted at on their previous three albums, has finally found its optimum expression. In short, it sounds like a band reborn.

As on previous albums, their music is rich in textures and manifold nuances that reveal themselves slowly, but its also characterised by an almost euphoric immediacy. The opening 'Exercise 7' all space disco and sunshine-soaked house is a case in point, as is the Balearic-evoking 'Stay Out All Night' and the electronic pop of 'Leaving Me'. Elsewhere, on 'To Be Loved', 'Tired Of The Show' and the closing 'After All The Love', they explore offbeat pysch-pop, edgy post-punk disco and a whimsical country lament, respectively.

It's safe to say that it's Bent's most three-dimensional album to date. And for those who devoured the soundscapes of 'Programmed To Love', the eloquently languid 'As Seen From Space' and the melancholic 'The Handbrake' will provide emotional succour.

Appropriately enough, Bent have timed their return to perfection. With the press deeming dance music interesting again 'Intercept' is another shot in the arm for a rejuvenated scene. Make no mistake then, no matter how you stumble upon its many charms, Bent's new album will 'Intercept' your heart!