Golden Birthday

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”

3. Are you Jimmy Ray? No, it’s actually K Records’ Jeremy Jay that will bring his moody and smooth tunes to the Burlington tonight. Taking more from new wave and folk than the ever popular chillwave, Jay spices his tunes with cues from ’80s synth-pop while letting his subtle croon set the vibe. LISTEN: “Wild Orchids” – That is what I had written for headliner Jeremy Jay, but unfortunately, he had to cancel his performance tonight. But DJ Lightfoot will be there and maybe someone else. So, head on over and rock with some locals, yo.

9:00 p.m. Tuesday, 2/7. The Burlington. 21+. $7 donation.

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