Two Door Cinema Club

The electronica of Phoenix, the upbeat guitar of M83, the vocal aesthetic of Local Natives.

Two Door Cinema Club is back with an amalgamation of sounds for its sophomore record, “Beacon.”

The band gave us a taste of the album with lead single “Sleeping Alone,” a guitar-fuzzy dance track that ebbs and swells with innovation.

The single speaks largely for the album as a whole.

Thematically, the lyrics challenge the former identity of the band as it graduates to something more sophisticated, heartbreaking and dynamic.

The Northern Irishmen expand their palette and capture their audience with a much fuller sound, showcasing tracks that move from poppy “Next Year” to jazzy “Sun,” then crooning “The World Is Watching,” the album’s most gut-wrenching track.

And where Two Door Cinema Club mostly satisfies after keeping its fans on their toes, it doesn’t stretch the extra inch to give us something with a little more nuance.

By Francisco Tirado