Mobius Band: Heaven

As a descriptor for music, "dense" cuts both ways. Thankfully, it applies to Mobius Band mostly in the positive sense. While the group's synth-thick arrangements and ping-ponging guitars saturate most of Heaven, Ben Sterling's languid vocal delivery picks a sure, clear path through the static. The album takes a dip halfway through, with "Control" and "Friends Like These" degenerating from sweet to cloying, but it goes out on a high note: "Black Spot" hints at Talk Talk-level aspirations, and it's followed by "I Am Always Waiting," which conjures the icy innocence of early New Order. Despite such debts, Heaven sidesteps crass retroactivity—thanks in part to the rich, inventive textures spun by keyboardist Noam Schatz—and ends up flying by effortlessly.