*** PRIMAL SCREAM, “Vanishing Point,” Reprise

Rampant eclecticism only works when the artist has the chops to keep the music on track and a specific destination in mind. With its latest collection of sonic concoctions, this Scottish outfit displays both. From contemporary electronics to vintage instrumentation, decadent rock to percolating pop and subtle dub rhythms, “Vanishing Point” unfolds like a wry commentary on the self-conscious revivalism of postmodern pop music.

The powerful dance-floor drive and trippy flourishes of “Kowalski” recall the vibrant sounds of such Manchester groups as Happy Mondays, but without the annoying, clownish tendencies. “Get Duffy” ebbs and flows between stretches of mellow, earthy funk (Bill Withers revisited) and pensive, floating interludes; “Burning Wheel” is a heady blend of sinewy grooves, spacey ambient sounds and spaced-out psychedelia.

Primal Scream is at its best tinkering with au courant dance vehicles, though the group does rock with a certain trashy appeal in the Rolling Stones-esque “Medication.” More intriguing, though less successful, is a rendering of Motorhead’s namesake song. As amusing as the concept is, the result, sounding like a collision between Iggy Pop and Love & Rockets, is a little dubious. Yet even a weak spot like this serves Primal Scream’s exploratory, experimental purpose.

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* Excerpts from these albums and other recent releases are available on The Times’ World Wide Web site. Point your browser to: https://www.latimes.com/soundclips