Between the release of their self-titled first album and its follow-up, Memory, the men of Lazer Sword decamped from San Francisco to Berlin and L.A.

Whether it can be attributed to the change of locale or just the passage of time, Memory reveals a slicker, sleeker version of the duo's sound.

Tracks like "Toldyall" have a newfound smoothly soulful glide that, initially, feels bereft of the cheeky sense of humor Lazer Sword displayed in spades.

As the album unfolds, however, it becomes clear that Antaeus Roy and Bryant Rutledge have just gotten subtler with their mischief.

The percolating electro homage "Missed a Spot" is as stylish as it is playful, with a sassy vocal sample woven in and out of ricocheting electronics.

"Pleasure Zone" is similarly kinetic, with splashy drums nicked from '80s freestyle and enough low end to keep longtime Lazer Sword fans happy, while former single "Sounds Sane" continues the album's motif of skeletal yet hard-hitting rhythms and bubbling melodies with panache.

Rutledge and Roy are joined by Jimmy Edgar on the robo-sexy "Let's Work" and by Machinedrum on "CHSEN" -- which manages the neat trick of being hushed and frenetic at the same time -- but Lazer Sword are in full command on Memory, an album that finds them coming into their own as well as exploring new territory.