Combining crackling, textured laptop sounds with stripped-down indie rock, Ben Cooper and Alex Kane have a formula that, on paper, is destined to work. Translated to sound, however, the results are mixed. Though the electronic aspects are up to snuff, they can only conceal Cooper‘s amateurish songwriting for so long. From the Modest Mouse-like chorus of “Good Morning, Hypocrite” to the redundant lyrics of “Grand Machine No. 12,” Electric President is reduced to a good idea wallowing in mediocrity.