Electro-pop is a dangerous game. My twelve-year-old recently declared that "all pop music is stupid" as he twisted the dial to find a (pop, of course) song he liked on the car radio. "Traditional" pop music is difficult enough. When you limit your palette to dance floor bounces, the connection to reality can be tenuous.

Kim Boekbinder Noisewitch (Golden Glow)

Kim Boekbinder seems to have no difficulty with the concept, however. She understands the ephemeral nature of the music, and so she keeps her tunes playful. The lyrics do pack a bite. Most of the album explores the nature of transgender lives, but Bookbinder is affirming rather than defensive. Perhaps the clearest expression comes in "Fractal," where she declares "I am not defined by anybody else." In the end, that's the best "explanation" (for those who need one).

There's plenty of fizz here. Boekbinder has been working in and around the New York music scene for more than a decade, both on the music and visual side of the business. That expert hand becomes more and more obvious as the album rolls along. This is a fully professional production, from the incessantly cheerful beats to the bounding bass and swirling synth.

The best "cause" albums integrate their messages into the music. That editing process leads to simpler (and stronger) statements, and Boekbinder has created a very tight work here. It would be impossible to miss the message, but it is also just as difficult to stay seated. This album wants to move your mind and your ass. Boekbinder's artistry makes both a certainty.

Jon Worley