Latest CD releases reviewed.

ARMAND VAN HELDEN
Nympho Southern Fried
***

New York producer Armand Van Helden remains one of dance music's smartest cookies. After showing that he can do anthems (Funk Phenomena), chart-toppers (U Don't Know Me, Flowerz) and bizarre pre-crunk booty-hop (the patchy Sample-Slayer album), Van Helden now turns his attention towards that point where dance and rock slam together. Many others have been here before him, but Van Helden's intuitive feel for dark, aggressive melodies and angry distortion is to Nympho's advantage in marking it apart from the pack. Certainly, Van Helden's knack for finding pop hooks in the unlikeliest terrain can be heard in When the Lights Go Down and My My My, yet the crunchy guitars and snappy, surly thrills to be found on Come Play With Me and the title track also house plenty of appeal. www.southernfriedrecords.com

Jim Carroll