Fun outerspace synth-pop and teen angst.

The Drums‰’ Encyclopedia is a burst of juvenile bliss and despair. The playful, almost extra-terrestrial tunes on “Magic Mountain,‰” “Let Me‰” and “Wild Geese‰” paired with lyrics like “Somewhere in the back of my mind I crave my own demise‰” and “I put my hands inside my pockets and wish that I were them‰” tap into a feeling youthful longing that makes them almost irresistible to listen to.

The album also serves up “oohs‰” and “ahhs‰” crooned behind futuristic sockhop tracks “Kiss Me Again‰” and “Deep In My Heart,‰” as well as the much more minimalist “Bell Laboratories‰” and guitar driven “I Hope Time Doesn‰’t Change Him.‰”

Encyclopedia as a whole is undeniably a musical nod to angst-ridden 80s alternative dance music, but their heavy use of theremin and subtle guitars paired with solid writing give it enough of a unique, modern perspective to make it worth listening to.

RIYL: The Horrors, The Cure, Bombay Bicycle Club
Recommended Tracks: 1, 4, 7, 12