The Present Lover continues the experiment, and in general improves on it. Luomo, in typically modest fashion, speaks of the "panic" he went through recording the vocals on Vocalcity, having never featured any on previous releases. It's a safe bet he isn't panicking now, as the singing here (both female and male) is as smooth as it comes. However, it's also reminiscent of thousands of faceless lounge and downtempo compilations featuring "soulful divas" and androgynous emoting-- and if that's a problem for you (you know who you are), The Present Lover might come on a tad strong. Still, it fits the cosmopolitan, deeply European tracks to a tee. Even if you've never set foot in a club, the lengthy, passive strains of tunes like "Could Be Like This" or the title track work just as well as pure trance (not the dance kind, er, though you could dance to it).