On Future Future Future Perfect—Freezepop’s third album, three years in coming—the band sounds calmer than when it was Fancy Ultra-Fresh a few years ago. Liz Enthusiasm’s flat vocals skillfully hint at the singer’s art of detachment, occasionally allowing true concern to come through. The group previously juxtaposed this icy delivery with bouncy, energetic synthpop. Tracks like “Less Talk More Rokk” and “Brainpower” show the group can still do that style, but now it’s more concerned with atmospheres and tones. If it’s a less groovy album, though, it’s not less playful, with tracks like the ‘80s-approriate punning “Do You Like My Wang^TM?” and “Afterparty” (about a stolen hair care product). “Ninja of Love” merges the serious with the ridiculous, using the geek-beloved ninja to explore romantic uncertainty. The group’s aesthetic is more complex than that, but that song hones in on the target audience. Freezepop’s no less smart or quirky than they have been, but they’re a little cooler now, which makes this disc a little less successful.

• "Ninja of Love" MP3