Giant Panda has returned! Giant Panda’s debut album, Fly School Reunion, dropped in 2005 and was received by unsuspecting ears that caught the raw sounds bursting forth.With their sophomore effort however, Giant Panda has evidently “graduated”.Electric Laser is the name of the game, and GP plays it well.

The production, foremost, is in many ways its predecessor, and yet it isn’t.The drums still bang, with snares and kicks dominating the forefront of a large portion of the production.However, the melodies, chops, and loops aren’t “traditionally” jazzy or funky (that’s not to say they don’t have that type of quality, so to speak).Rather, thick, electro-fused samples are laced deep in the cuts of this record providing a much more futuristic but very present musical landscape.?A track such as “Justin Case” is a nice introduction to newcomers (just in case you didn’t know) but also an introduction to the style of the album to already established fans of Giant Panda.

The writing on the album is what makes this album standout more prominently for those already acquainted to Giant Panda.Humor (see “CinemaX” and “Do The Robot In Cyberspace”) and more serious notes (see “AIM” and “Let it Go”) are found all throughout the album, showing a different side of the Panda’s fur.Like a caged animal, Giant Panda can rage with speaker pumpin’ tracks such as “Speakers Pop” and “Speakers Funk”.The album was also recorded and mixed on analog tape, giving it extra warmth and harmonic punch.Overall Electric Laser is a step forward for Giant Panda, but still honors it’s true school mentality for their original fans.