Beta Love

The departure of cellist Alexandra Lawn has thrown Ra Ra Riot into an analog synth tizzy. A band once known for its warm, organic chamber pop has tightened the trip and gone all in with vintage keyboards projecting a technological future; songs like "Binary Mind" and "Beta Love" break relationships into computer jargon. Frontman Wes Miles majored in physics at Syracuse University, where the band formed. Here, he appears to be driving the band into digital quarters, citing sci-fi novelist William Gibson and inventor/futurist Ray Kurzweil as influences. Producer Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, MUTEMATH, Wavves) coached the group through sessions in Oxford, Miss., where they let the studio become the band's fifth member, building up and tearing down textures until songs were honed to perfection. There isn't much room for improvisation. "Binary Mind" is the album's opus at 3:14, with seven tracks never reaching three minutes. Every song has been tweaked until it jumps and bounces out of the box. "Angel, Please," "Dance with Me," and "That Much" get to their points quickly, making the dance floor a happier place.