Well-versed in the art of rock 'n' roll intrigue, Primal Scream is shrouding its forthcoming studio album in a veil of secrecy. |

The British techno innovators are currently holed up in their personal London studio with producer Brendan Lynch, who worked on the group's 1997 return to dance-rock -- Vanishing Point. Just one year after the release of that remarkable comeback, Primal Scream has finished nearly half a dozen songs, some or none of which may appear on their next effort, according to a spokesman for the band.

Keeping album information both sparse and vague, the quintet's management said Primal Scream works in a "rolling process" that constantly eliminates stale concepts and embraces fresh ones. In other words, songs completed during this initial recording stage will most likely end up as B-sides or scraps for the band's circular file. This method makes predicting an album release date nearly impossible, the spokesman said.

"It's not like other bands where the record company schedules a release date years in advance," he said. "They're a bit more organic than that -- they wait until it feels right."

Studio progress will inch along this summer as Primal Scream jets around the world playing festivals in their native England, Spain, Scotland and elsewhere. One gig in their long list of summer concerts is the Fuji Rock Festival, which will feature artists like Beck, Garbage and Sonic Youth playing at Japan's tallest mountain on Aug. 1. Following that momentous show, Primal Scream will play a string of Spanish festivals before returning to the mixing board in London.

For now, critics and fans of Primal Scream can only cross their fingers and hope for a fitting follow-up to the club favorite, Vanishing Point. While a techno-infused sequel seems most logical, the band has thrown more than one musical curve ball in the past. In 1994, for example, they released a jangly rock album titled Give Out But Don't Give Up that stood miles apart from their trend-setting 1991 hit, Screamadelica. With so few clues available now, questions regarding the album will likely thrive until its release date. (Anni Layne)