It's almost 30 years since Planet Earth broke Duran into the public consciousness, and despite lazy tabloid fixations with their heady dalliance with pop aristocracy, it's really much truer to see Duran as the 80's postmodern inheritors of 70's pop. Take Roxy Music, add Kraftwerk, and sprinkle on some Chic, and the result is Duran Duran. Recent albums tended to dilute the cocktail, but this new issue sees them back to full strength. Blame The Machines psychoanalyses electronica, Leave A Light On is as lovely as Save A Prayer, Being Followed has that Rum Runner artsy, propulsive dance-floor pulse, and stand-out The Man Who Stole A Leopard quotes and builds on their classic The Chauffeur. Producer Mark Ronson's taut editing and fidelity to the original Duran magic gives a fantastic clarity, while the abundance of great songs all go to make this, after Rio, a strange delight.

--David Buckley
Courtesy MoJo UK