Adventure Galley - Anywhere That's Wild (2013)

At first, you would’ve been hard-pressed to make any connections between Portland sextet Adventure Galley and Arcade Fire. But when Win Butler and company reinvented themselves earlier this year, the comparisons suddenly weren’t far-fetched. Now, the two bands are aligned in their love of big, dance-y, New Wave-inspired music.

Adventure Galley got there first, though. The group has been turning out its self-described “glow-wave” for about five years. Anywhere That’s Wild, the band’s debut full-length, lives up to the promise of its infectious 2010 EP. It is a polished, shimmering collection of party-starting pop. “Addict” is an inescapably catchy mix of four-on-the-floor percussion and straightforward keys. “Diane” showcases Adventure Galley’s dance-punk prowess, while “Marooned” stresses a love of the synthesizer.

Borrowing prominently from acts like the Killers and countless ‘80s powerhouses, Anywhere That’s Wild can seem derivative at times. But even when the clap tracks, repetitive synths and faux-English accents start to tire, the record still works, pulling at the hips with what’s effective and familiar.