Nocturnes

Named after a PJ Harvey album and featuring Leisha Hailey (who was cast as Alice Pieszecki on Showtime’s The L Word) and Camilla Grey (who performed with the notable Mellowdrone), Uh Huh Her is a refreshing synth duo with a true gift for writing catchy tunes that bounce around the dance floor. The sonic sheen of the opener, “Marstorm,” creates genuine enthusiasm that’s hard to ignore, but it’s the vocals’ genuine warmth that makes the song stick. It’s like that throughout Nocturnes, which isn’t nearly as dark and foreboding as its title suggests; these are relatively bright and perky tracks. “Another Case,” “Disdain,” and “Same High” pulse with that modern-yet-‘80s groove that permeates pop fashion in 2011. Even “Darkness Is” cruises with a weightless delight. It’s left to the affecting “Time Stands Still,” the ghostly “Human Nature,” the shimmery, girl-group-style “Criminal,” and the near-industrial and chilling “Debris” to close in on the night.