Remembering the Future

NASA's Patrik Henzel and Martin Thors not only sound like they're from a different time on Remembering the Future, but their planetary origins should be questioned as well. As hinted by the NASA name, the duo likes journeying into outer space; Remembering the Future is saturated with robotic voices and keyboards that bleep like Luke Skywalker's droids. On "Xenophobic," an extraterrestrial discovers human prejudice: "I guess my seven heads just add to the confusion," the alien realizes. Of course, none of this science fiction silliness is taken seriously; Henzel and Thors are a witty duo, and their oddball imaginations are unleashed like wild dogs. Consequently, Remembering the Future is one of the most refreshingly original synth pop albums in over a decade. While many other synth pop acts limit themselves by attempting to clone either Depeche Mode or Erasure, Henzel and Thors fashion their own bizarre path. Traces of Kraftwerk, disco, funk, and even '80s hip-hop float through NASA's musical mix. There's not a dull moment in Remembering the Future; every track is punctuated with unexpected sounds and club-ready hooks. And it's hard to resist an album with hilarious lyrical confessions like "Are you for real?/I do tend to hallucinate" from "Tell Me, Woman (Generator)." Even without seven heads, NASA is one of a kind.