Dan Deacon

There's always more than just fluo overload to Dan Deacon. While his live sets inspire fan frenzy, his pop sensibilities are far more oblique. Veering away from earlier albums' antic hijinks, Bromst recalls the rapturous, psychedelic tones of Animal Collective; the video game bleeps are fleshed out with live drums, organs, kalimba and other organic sources, while voices raise the rooftops in sing-along after sing-along. Stylistically omnivorous and formally ambitious, this is an album that requires you to meet it on its own terms -- and rewards handsomely once you do.