Their web bio describes the sound as "man vs. woman -- guitar vs. DJ." Which describes the elements of the "band," but hints at something other than the complete meshing of sensibilities that Trip to Dover actually accomplishes.

Trip to Dover Fade Into Gold EP (Final 500)

These are astonishing electro-pop confections, with soaring anthemic choruses and some experimental elements dropped in here and there. I'm thinking I'll be tossing this one over to my second son, whose brain seems programmed for precisely this sound.

I'm always amazed at how most pop songs are slogs though recycled hook after recycled hook. When I was a kid, I wondered why it was that most pop songs were as replaceable as chewing gum (thank you, Annie!). Over the last three decades, I've become aware of how hard it is to create infectious hooks--and how it is even harder to strip away the dross to reveal glowing, pristine pop perfection.

The songs here are not perfect pop, but they're much, much closer than anything else I've heard this year. Chilly keyboards, monster guitar riffage, vocals that both sooth and seethe . . . it's kinda like listening to all of the Eurythmics albums compressed into one lengthy EP. Which is kinda really awesome. And it is.

Jon Worley