Totaled

Indian Jewelry's fourth studio album furthers the Houston quintet's foray into the deep, dark depths of experimental noise rock. 2010's Totaled is anchored to distorted synthesizers, metallic-toned beats, tribal throbs and mechanical drones while curiously materializing more grooving, accessible compositions. The opening "Oceans" flirts with post-punk beats under androgynous singing to create something that's actually danceable. Similarly, "Excessive Moonlight" hinges on cold, synthy dark-wave trappings and Erika Thrasher's wistful voice coming together over hard pulsing beats to make for something that sounds like goth-tinged R&B. Though "Vision" buzzes with the abrasive drone of what could be an insect caught in an electronic bug-zapper, early '80s inspired keyboards blast cold and haunting tones to give the tune a definite bygone influence without coming across as retro or throwback. A haunted sounding "Touching the Roof of the Sun" brings back Indian Jewelry's warbling and sideways psychedelic familiarity before "Dog Days" leaves us with something akin to Flying Saucer Attack experimenting with new wave's instrumental accoutrements.