Three reasons to shake it on over to the Burlington tonight…

1. Golden Birthday manage to combine tension-riddled art-pop and dreamy retrolectro into wild but quite melodic pieces. Their latest, Illusions, plays like a John Hughes soundtrack bathed in acidic tape hiss. LISTEN: “Beyond It”

2. Pilsen’s Valis utilize gritty samples for a sound that’s part trance-y electro and part Robocop. Dark, edgy and bleakly futuristic work in synch for a dense and intriguing sound. LISTEN: “Black Carbon”

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By Richard Giraldi  \  comments

Another Friday, another chance to beat the crap out of the workday. What better way to do so than check out these soon-to-be-big (if not already) hometown acts:

Russian Circles

Russian Circles offer powerful, deft instrumental rock. Brings to mind fellow instrumentalists (and Chicagoans), Pelican. With Plague Bringer (industrial/grindcore insanity/awesomeness) and Lichens.

Friday, 5/1 at Bottom Lounge. $12/14

OFFICE

OFFICE = lively pop collective with taut guitars, synth-driven euphoria, and hooks that would have Nick Lowe dancing along to. With The Loyal Divide, Kyle Andrews, The Seedy Seeds, Coltrane Motion.

Sat, 5/2 at Double Door, $18/20.

Aleks and the Drummer

Aleks and the Drummer are an echo-y grimy keyboard/drum duo with an enticing cabaret-pop awareness. Fresh off their recent Dave Sitek-produced EP, the band will likely not disappoint. With Jeremy Jay(breezy, Californian pop), Kristeen Young, Bengal Lancer.

Sat, 5/2 at Empty Bottle, $ 8

By Justin Aier  \  comments