Calvin Harris' 'Motion' is passable electro-house

Calvin Harris, "Motion" (Columbia)

The U.K.'s pre-eminent dance hitmaker Calvin Harris is out with his fourth studio album, "Motion," a smattering of hit-and-miss attempts at filling dance floors and minds with his relentless brand of acceptable electro-house.

The professional polish is there, and Harris' fans won't be disappointed with energetic tracks like "Outside," featuring Ellie Goulding, and the much heavier "Burnin," with R3hab. But make no mistake. This is everyman's house. Just peppy enough to get you moving, but no approaches you haven't heard before.

Even "Under Control," the first single from the album, is less about the middling track and more about the collaborative star power by Alesso and synth-sound specialists Hurts.

The best track by far is "Love Now," thanks to gorgeous vocals by Vanya Taylor from All About She. "Open Wide" with Big Sean handling the rap duties also stands out, with a sharp bottom end and adults-only lyrics.

Harris' smartest move on "Motion" is partnering with white-hot featured artists for just the right songs. He picks his spots better than most.