Alex Ridha’s first album as Boys Noize gave us 2007’s Oi Oi Oi. It came at a time when a Daft Punk resurgence was underway and other electronic groups, namely Justice and Digitalism, were all riding the wave. He had a bit of a misstep with 2009’s much less intense Power, but it appears that Out of the Black is the happy median between his previous albums and it shows Boys Noize finding his sound … sort of. The first five cuts are incredibly infectious and will definitely keep the party and drugs going (see “XTC”). All these tracks could easily have found a place on Oi Oi Oi. Things get a little strange in the second half of the album where the fluidity is completely lost as the oddly gangster “Circus Full of Clowns” creeps up on you. “Stop” is a full blown rip off of Daft Punk’s “Rollin’ and Scratchin’” and “I’ll House You (feat. Snoop Dogg)” is a silly-ass move for an electronic artist, which sounds straight up ridiculous. The highs on this album are when the music speaks for itself, like in the purely instrumental “Missle,” and does not ride the coattails of Snoop Dogg or any other influences. Thankfully the highs are plentiful enough that this album deserves to be checked out if you are into the high energy, party starter electro. (Boys Noize Records,boysnoize.com) Scott Wolfe