Tropic of Cancer are set to release a new 10″, ‘Be Brave’, on February 28.

It’s the duo’s second offering to date, following their striking 2009 debut ‘Victims’/’The Dull Age’. Less plaintive and more aggressive than its predecessor, ‘Be Brave’ is immaculately dead-eyed electronic pop – respectful of the past but not burdened by it, and charged with a certain wildness that’s hard to come by these days. Check out the video below to preview the song. The picture above is a detail from the 10″s insert artwork.

‘Be Brave’ comes courtesy of Karl O’Connor’s Downwards label, and is the latest in an ongoing series of 7″s and 10″s that showcase the label’s deep-rooted interest in synth wave, minimalist drone-rock and noise – recent releases in this vein have come from Sandra Electronics, Six Six Seconds and Colin Gorman Weiland, with more planned for 2011.

The B-side of the record is given over to a pummelling motorik remix of ‘Be Brave’ by none other than Richard H. Kirk of Cabaret Voltaire.

Tropic of Cancer is a collaboration between Camella Lobo and Juan Mendez; Mendez, who also directs the video, is perhaps best known for his work as Silent Servant, part of the Sandwell District collective.