Lip Critic assembles together hardcore/electropunk/math rock puzzle pieces into genre-shattering music that approaches convolution but lands in deliberate chaos. Their latest album, Theft World, was inspired by a fan who stole frontman Bret Kaser’s identity, used it to buy their discography on Bandcamp, and accused the band of sending him coded messages. Kaser, along with a sampler and two drummers, explores this digital purgatory in whatever is the opposite of easy listening. They’re the kind of band that forces you to turn the volume up and really listen. Live, all they ask is that you mosh. – Rina Laby