Behind the scenes, the world of Cha Cha Cohen is sweetly romantic: in the three years since they released their self-titled debut album, singer Jacqui Delany has married bassist Keith Gregory. Perhaps as a reaction to that, their music has become even more urgent, propulsive and fierce. Mrs Gregory doesn't sing so much as angrily declaim: "Heavyweight," she barks on Kodiak, "same as all the other weights." Behind her, Mr Gregory's elastic bassline nudges seductively at Simon Smith's louche drums. You would never guess the two men were once members of the Wedding Present: if their propulsive, spacey rhythms are reminiscent of anyone it is the Fall, an impression consolidated by Tanya Mellotte's jerking, electrifying, unexpectedly melodic guitar and the disjointed lyrics ("The big God quaker, the pearly white shaker, the Timbuktu retainer"). From the frantic, police-chase funk of Century Life to the sultry To the Letter, this is a relentlessly paced, thrilling album. (MC)