Geoff Pinckney and Peter Steer, better known as Tenek, have outdone themselves with their sophomore album, On the Wire. It builds on the momentum of last year’s Stateless release, and features another collection of delightfully complex and entertaining synthpop songs.

The duo’s confident songwriting and perfect musicianship are back with a vengeance on what one fellow synthpop blogger has accurately described as an “asskickingly beautiful” album. There’s no question in my mind that On the Wire is one of the best synthpop releases of 2010 that begs to be heard by a wider audience.

Here are some of the highlights:

Losing Something – This rollicking uptempo song gets On the Wire off to a kick-ass start with a strong bass beat and a driving mix of synths and guitar.

The Grid – A pulsating beat and propulsive lyrics power this standout song.

Higher Ground – A ringing lead guitar plays a delightful counterpoint to this song’s verses. The style of this song is reminiscent of some of The Fixx’s classic tracks. Higher Ground also showcases the fantastic vocal harmony between Pinckney and Steer.

Blinded by You – The single from In the Wire, the energetic Blinded by You is certain to be a dancefloor favorite at clubs worldwide.

The Art of Evasion – This slower song opens with a big, echoing analog synth intro that appears to be channeling Tears for Fears. When Steer kicks in with the lyrics, I’ll be darned – he even sounds a bit like Roland Orzibal. Don’t get me wrong – I mean this comparison in a very positive way. This is an awesome, moving song that is another one of my favorites.

On the Wire – This densely layered, propulsive track cranks the energy level back up, and features a deeply throbbing bass synth, the perfect counterpart to its soaring vocals.

Under My Skin – The perfect end to a perfect album, Under My Skin features killer guitar hooks, driving drum rhythms, soaring background synths and excellent vocal harmonies. An amazing pop song that is a powerful exclamation point to this outstanding collection of synthpop songs!

I strongly encourage you to pick up On the Wire. You won’t be disappointed!

Tenek’s new album, Stateless, is one of the standout synthpop releases of 2009. It’s filled with infectious, complex songs that are a delight to listen to, with a myriad of rhythms and textures that are pure ear candy.

Tenek is the latest project from Geoff Pinckney (The Nine/Mesh) and Pete Steer. Both gentlemen have had long careers in the UK electronic music scene, and it shows in the confident, polished but never over-produced arrangements on Stateless. This is the first full album produced by the duo.

What really sets Stateless apart is the variety of songs, from synth-driven pop to club-friendly, beat-heavy, densely arranged floor fillers, plus several impressive instrumental tracks. A number of songs do an excellent job of blending synthesizers with guitars – a rarity in most electronic music these days. Steer’s guitar playing is used for emphasis, and never overwhelms the arrangement of the songs.

I’m a fan of layered arrangements where different elements swim around in the headphones, sometimes supporting and other times contrasting with each other. That means there’s lots to love in Stateless. There is literally no filler on this album. Every song is a strong effort in its own right.

Here are a few highlights:

Breakdown – One of my favorite tracks on Stateless. A club-friendly beat becomes really pronounced in the chorus of this densely layered arrangement. Vocals are punctuated by some use of vocoder, but it’s not excessive.

Submission – Opens with very cool guitar riffs. This is a nicely arranged mid-tempo song.

If I Should Fall – A driving uptempo number with nice use of vocal harmony. Another favorite from this album.

Where’s the Time – A rocking song with a great rhythm. Rather sparsely arranged, with pulsating synths and lyrics providing a very effective counterpoint to each other.

Fatality – A mellow instrumental track that starts out with a sparse beat, adds an understated, spacey guitar riff and is eventually punctuated by driving synths about two-thirds of the way through.  Nice!

I Don’t Cry (For You) – Intelligent lyrics and soaring synths combine with a nice, driving beat. Synthesized guitar is used nicely for emphasis between the chorus and verses. Another one of the better songs on Stateless.

Less is More- A driving beat and chilly, cool-sounding synths combined with Geoff’s sharply-punctuated vocal stylings make this perhaps the best track on the album, in my opinion.

State of Mind – Spacey opening that quickly evolves into a lush arrangement with pulsating, layered synths.

Sombre Friday – An awesome chilled-out instrumental that you simply must listen to on headphones. Nice layered arrangement point-counterpoint about halfway through the song between the stately “chorus” synths and an electric guitar.

If you’re a fan of contemporary synthpop, chances are you’re going to love Stateless, which is released on the Toffeetones label. I can’t wait to see where Pinckney and Steer go from here!