Free Your Mind

Melbourne's Cut Copy came together in the early '00s, when the rediscovery of '80s electro and dance pop was in full flower. Yet one of the group's great strengths is the fact that it is a group, with a flesh-and-blood rhythm section—not just one person behind a bank of gear. The Aussie quartet's fourth album reinforces that notion, putting crucial human muscle behind the sparkling synth riffs. Sure, tunes like "Footsteps" are fueled by an Italo-disco-flavored, club-friendly feel. But it's Ben Browning's bass guitar lines that lend the greatest gravitas to the elegant synth-pop of "In Memory Capsule," while Mitchell Scott's analog drum kit brings a bit of vital rock ballast to "Dark Corners & Mountain Tops" and the luminous, power ballad–esque "Walking in the Sky." So while there's little on Free Your Mind that couldn't drive dancers to exhaustion, the album's essence is more than just momentum.