t the Need New Body show I attended a week ago, it took drummer Chris Powell roughly five minutes to strip down to his boxers. Yet this was more than an act of exhibitionism; within this short period of time, the man had perspired an inconceivable amount, until he was soaked in the organic manifestations of his awe-inspiring energy. As Need New Body fans know, however, every band member—even Powell, the most frenetic of them all—possesses a keen musical mind to accompany his fervor.

The Icy Demons’ Fight Back!, which features Powell on percussion, not only suggests that the drummer has talent to match his vivacity, but provides evidence that Need New Body’s music is only partly made by its intensity. Most of the tracks on Fight Back!, which are rooted in both jazz and electronica, sound similar to Need New Body’s work, if lacking in the spazz department. And though the results are never as stunning as Need New Body’s best songs, they are consistently engaging and fresh.

“Icy Demons” offers the finest example of the Icy Demons’ musical prowess, juxtaposing an atonal string of guitar notes with a steady bass line and reconciling the two with only more incongruities: eccentric percussion and a delicate acoustic guitar, crashing horns and a childlike vocal melody. “The Silent Hero” recalls one of last year’s most successful side projects, Tied and Tickled Trio (which featured two members of the Notwist), in its accomplished blend of jazz and electronic music, accentuated by ethereal vocal samples reminiscent of Moon Safari-era Air.

Interestingly, the Icy Demons delve deeper into electronica later in the album, as on “Simian Warlords”, whose keyboards oscillate with the patience of a Dntel piece. The following track, “Wet Sweater”, fondly embraces French dance music, separating itself from the club hits only in its use of spoons rather than heavy 4/4 beats as percussion. “Bowser” balances harsh electronic textures composed in the spirit of the song’s namesake with eerie pianos and vocals emulating the frightening journey through a castle towards Mario’s nemesis.

So although a less frantic Need New Body seems undesirable, Fight Back! proves that such a formula still generates a great deal of absorbing material. The Icy Demons don’t live up to their drummer’s likeminded band, but it constitutes a branching of their sound that will hopefully continue with even more successful and diverse results in the future.