When not taking part in his regular gig with Peter Bjorn and John or working on outside productions like Chrissie Hynde's 2014 album, Stockholm, John Eriksson makes music under the name Hortlax Cobra. After releasing two albums, the Moroder-inspired Night Shift and the more experimental 1984, in 2012, he took a bit of a break, but returned in 2017 with Lightworks. Unlike previous Hortlax records, Eriksson takes a giant leap into the mainstream of modern electronic pop here. Collaborating with vocalists on half the tracks, he forsakes vintage synths or '80s sounds in favor of a slick, up-to-date approach that balances club beats with slow ballads. It's a sound that anyone can hear with the flip of a radio switch, but in Eriksson's steady hands, the shift doesn't come off as opportunistic. Instead, it sounds like the work of a craftsman who has updated his tools, but hasn't left behind his skills. The best songs are those that push the emotional content to the fore, like "I'm Still Here," which features some deep longing in the vocal department from Ane Brun. The sweeping "As Far as My Eyes Could See" is another powerful track, and features some very strong singing by Noonie Bao. The other vocal collaborations are good too, with Sibille Attar fronting the fun Nordic R&B jam "Gimme the Highlights" and Jennie Abrahamson showing some solid queen-of-the-ice-disco chops on the chilly dancefloor cut "Night Still Young." Eriksson takes over the vocals on the rest of the tracks, mainly singing through a vocoder. These tracks are a little more fun and frivolous; the frothy "Bus Stop" sounds light enough to blow away in a stiff breeze, "I'm Ready" comes across like an early Daft Punk rough draft, and the two interludes ("Light," "Dusk") drift pass like colorful clouds. Only "Unfinished Melody" has any of the depth of the collaborations, and it would have been better served if it were sung by a vocalist on par with the others he brought in. That minor quibble aside, Lightworks is a fine return for Eriksson and Hortlax Cobra that shows he can play with the big boys and girls of pop if he wants, and in the case of a couple songs like "I'm Still Here" and "As Far as My Eyes Could See," maybe even win a few rounds. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi

1		-light-
2		I'm Still Here (feat. Ane Brun)
3		Night Still Young (feat. Jennie Abrahamson)
4		Light as a Feather (feat. Beatrice Eli)
5		Bus Stop
6		As Far as My Eyes Could See (feat. Noonie Bao)
7		Unfinished Melody (feat. Jennie Abrahamson)
8		I'm Ready
9		-dusk-
10		Gimme the Highlights (feat. Sibille Attar)