Lukestar

When "White Shade" opens with spacious production and a smoothly distorted guitar line, Lukestar could be mistaken for any capable but anonymous indie rockers turning out progressive, guitar-built indie rock. But when the haunting, too-high falsetto of Truls Heggero soars over the first of many genial, sunny power pop refrains, Lake Toba emerges as something wholly different -- a deeply creative endeavor that fulfills the promise of compelling late-'90s post-rock. The record's a mile deep too, with other brilliantly executed, drum-juiced post-pop in "Cold Numbers" and "In a Hologram."