Eidôlon

After a series of strong singles and EPs, the French band Venera 4 brought a buzzing, sharp energy to their full debut, 2015’s Eidôlon. Very much embracing the howling, fierce edge of shoegaze, the quartet melded that with motorik drive and a hint of classic pop melodies, with Morgane Caux’s and Annabelle Chapalain’s sometimes dreamy, sometimes quietly forceful vocals a killer further touch. “Pygmalion” starts the album off explosively, while the quality level maintains, from the chugging punch of “Red Blooms” to the thrilling kick of “Aimer Ann.”