Interpol

Interpol make sleek, shadowy post-punk revival built for headphones after dark: clipped guitar lines crossing in neat angles, bass parts that move like a second lead instrument, and drums that keep everything tense without ever getting flashy. Paul Banks sings in a low, dry baritone, more controlled than theatrical, which gives the music its cool distance even when the guitars are flaring up. The early records sit with indie rock and alternative rock, but the feel is colder and more formal than garage rock: black-coat music, full of repetition, ringing chords and city-night pressure.