If you’re like me, it doesn’t take much to awaken the slumbering New Order beast within you. At the slightest provocation, he will rise, and your insatiable appetite for New Order won’t abate until you’ve listened to each album several dozen times. During the final stages of this cycle, you’ll find yourself weaning off NO with a little Electronic, Monaco or Revenge, marveling at their unheralded genius. (With the possible exception of Electronic, this is a misconception you will recognize once you sober up from your New Order binge.)

Listen, friends. There is greatness yet to be gleaned from the New Order dynasty!

Your typical New Order fan is aware and appropriately dismissive of the first collaboration between Gillian Gilbert and Steven Morris as The Other Two, The Other Two & You. It’s a pleasant but forgettable album. This is unfortunate, because no one seems to be willing to give the follow up a chance, the oft-brilliant Superhighways.

Released in the fall of ’99, Superhighways finds L’Autre Deux more assured; with a stronger set of songs and a more singular sound. A handful of tracks are sung by Melanie Williams. (Don’t bother looking her up. She hasn’t done much.) The rest are sung by Gilbert. The pair couldn’t be more mismatched, but it somehow works. Williams is a belting, soulful diva, whereas Gilbert is a sort of modern-day Astrud Gilberto, with an endearingly tender, unprofessional voice. The album remains cohesive thanks to a consistent production and sensibility. Both singers strengths are utilized. Everyone’s a winner.

Superhighways is an extremely melodic, mellow-yet-upbeat, housey pop album. After nearly a decade, it’s aged much better than most New Order side-projects. I would listen to it even if it wasn’t connected to one of the greatest bands of all time.

These days, it’s a bit of a collector’s item. Nonetheless, keep it on your radar, because the beast can wake at any moment, and he’s best kept happy.Bonus Fun Fact: Gilbert and Morris most recently collaborated on the score for the mediocre tv movie “Cracker: Nine Eleven.” Incidentally, earlier Cracker series are fantastic.