The English dance duo Groove Armada scored a worldwide hit in 1997 with "At the River," a gorgeous slice of bucolic down-tempo perfection that even Elton John couldn’t help loving. But they made no bones about their true loyalties on 2001’s Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub), a less-than-subtle return to the goofy big-beat stylings they displayed on the inescapable, Fatboy Slim–remixed "I See You Baby."

Lovebox, the outfit’s fourth studio album, retreats a bit from Nightclub’s dance-floor militancy, layering brash classic-rock guitars over stomping rhythms and frosting halcyon chill-out ballads with snazzy guest-vocal turns. The lead single, "Purple Haze" (not the Jimi Hendrix tune), maintains the duo’s fondness for instructive titles — it might be the best neo-garage nugget not on the White Stripes’ forthcoming disc. Erstwhile future-soul diva Neneh Cherry brings similar sass to "Groove Is On," a blockheaded take on Basement Jaxx’s Princely electro-funk, and "Madder" builds to an orgiastic electric-guitar solo. Still, Groove Armada’s soft spot for little fluffy lullabies remains their strong suit, so Cherry shows up again on the lovely, piano-led "Think Twice," and old-school folkie Richie Havens imbues "Hands of Time" with a warm vintage crackle. Lovebox goes in too many directions to signal a clear change in course for these wide-eyed dabblers, but it’s full of worthwhile diversions.