• Bubblegum electropop defies expectations.

Montreal electro-pop duo Hexes and Ohs open their sophomore album with a brief blurting of electronic noise and voices spun backwards as if to prepare the listener for the experimental deluge. Certainly, with Crystal Method producer Byron Wong at the helm, expectations are high. What follows instead are pop gems, dominated by the lush guitar sounds of lead single "H-H-High School." "Looking to Fight" manages to carry a sense of innocence and charm, despite the ghosts of Joy Division looming in the background. The album is awash in breathy vocals, earnestly decrying the awkwardness of relationships, never delving into despair. It's a kind of triumphant nerd rock that sets toes tapping and keeps you chewing out a rhythm with your bubblegum.

Hexes and Ohs will perform at Broken City on September 11 alongside Winter Gloves and Calgary’s Jane Vain and the Dark Matter.