At times exhibiting post-rock swells, others a pop kind of glee, Austin, Texas' Aster take their name from a satellite but their music remains relatively grounded. The duo of Tim Husmann (drums, keys) and Bryan Ellis (vox, guitar) utilize electronic gadgetry and analog instruments in a sort of symbiosis that allows the 8-bit melody of "Attempting To Multiply" to live and thrive on the same disc as "Vaudeville" and its galloping drums.

The immediately catchy music is never pandering to either simple ears or the complex tastes of the music snob. Instead it insists that you fall for the luscious layers of synthesizers and miscellaneous devices from jump street. "Run Away From The Suits" has a simple melody, chimes, and whisper-sung vocals like a breezing wind, eventually sucking the listener into a tornado of pensive lyrics.

Stream the title track by clicking the media player just underneath the artwork above, and then buy the album from CDBaby.

Tags: Album Reviews, Aster, Austin, New Releases