Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains

Following his short run with Death from Above 1979, Sebastien Grainger opted to take the solo route, nixing his former band's hip-hop and punk influences for a combination of swaggering dance rock (think Head Automatica without the trashy glitz) and singer/songwriter material. "Love Is Not a Contest" is a genuine piano ballad, featuring Grainger's earnest, processed vocals and keyboard flourishes from the Stills' Liam O'Neil. The bulk of this debut record, however, devotes itself to danceability and sweaty fun. More polished and less frantic than the Death from Above catalog, Grainger's solo material prizes melodies above everything else, although it also finds ample room for the instruments (namely the guitar) that DFA's limited lineup left out. These 12 songs are still beefy and bass-heavy — they were written by a drummer, after all — but the emphasis isn't on rhythm as much as the hook. What's truly appealing about Grainger's solo effort is the fun he's obviously having, particularly during songs like the '80s-flecked "Renegade Silence," where he sings in a Prince-influenced coo atop a bed of synthesizers and thumping bass drum. Jesse Keeler may have rebounded from the sinking Death from Above ship faster than Grainger, but this album still gives Keeler's new project, MSTRKRFT, a run for its money.