R.I.F.F

After upping the adventurism on the tandem concept record Positive Rising (Pt. 1) and (Pt. 2), DZ Deathrays continue to incorporate surprising new textures into their bristling party punk. Overdriven opener “Paranoid” blurs the line between guitar and synth shredding, while “Tuff Luck” rocks a big baggy beat worthy of vintage Chemical Brothers. Other production flourishes show just how far the duo-turned-trio have come from their early days of playing share-house gigs, even as Shane Parsons’ scrappy vocals oscillate between celebratory and cautionary in tone. His cranked-up interplay with one-time touring guitarist Lachlan Ewbank is a reliable source of creative sparks since Ewbank joined full-time, and drummer Simon Ridley relishes renewed variety while matching his bandmates’ high-impact energy levels. There’s not a song over four minutes here, proving that DZ Deathrays have learned how to graft their experimental urges onto anthems that get in and get out with surplus time and charm to spare.