Edinburgh quintet The Machine Room drop their first EP after singles 'Girly' and 'Camino de Soda' met with approval from Radio 1's Ally McCrae and Edinburgh's Hogmanay, who had the latter over their street party PA, while fleecing tourists until they bled. Opener 'Cost  Of Progress' kicks in, appropriately enough, with industrial clattering and an echo rendering John Brydon's falsetto more than a bit robotic. This is ace -  perhaps a gothy New Order – Brydon's vox don't have Barney Sumner's instant humanity  - or maybe how Muse's venture into disco might have sounded, were Muse not utter, utter pish. 'Your Head On The Floor Next Door' takes a lovely, washy melody line –  reminiscent of early 90's commercial trance – remember Atlantic Ocean's 'Waterfall ', anyone? – but unfortunately saddles it with a beat that's too wonky and disables its blissout quality. By the time Camino de Soda reappears, they've changed the keys voice again, with a clean finish not unlike Suzanne Vega discussing existential angst with Dayve Hawke. 'Picking Holes' goes for slowburning guitar epic – probably great in a club where smoke shimmers through strobelight, less successful on vinyl. If you've ever wished there was first-wave shoegaze – Slowdive, Ride etc – in  Café Del Mar comps, you'll go  gooey over this.  Otherwise, two good tracks and one almost there mean The Machine Room have got the nuts and bolts right, with a wee bit of finishing needed. (sorry.)