Are You Alone?

On their sophomore album, this Canadian art-pop duo distill the core melancholy and introspection (and some melodic themes) of New Wave architects like Depeche Mode and New Order. Songs like “Silver Car Crash” and “Downtown” are strikingly austere: stripped to their instrumental core, hovering in Matthew Otto’s electronic gauze, and anchored by Devon Welsh’s steadfast baritone. While the experiences he catalogs seem steeped in depression and a warped sort of intimacy, they feel less confessional and more driven by the need to get at the truth of a sadness that's universal.