HIDE

Another cartoon DJ act with light-up headgear, Italian headbanger Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo is known for rocked-out, stadium-scale EDM. His second LP has bigger ambitions than his appealingly heavy-handed debut – and is worse for it, yoking guest stars to generic production. “The Beat” turns a Peter Frampton talk-box cameo into third-rate Daft Punk, and “Out of Sight” is a reminder that Paul McCartney‘s interest in electronic music rarely translates. The highlight is “Volevo un Gatto Nero,” a cover of an Italian children’s song that sounds like a heavy-metal dubstep tarantella. Some acts sound best when they aim low.