Enon

Believo!

(SeeThru Broadcasting)

For most bands or groups, there is a general classification that adheres to the kind of music they produce. But Enon has a problem with being labeled.

The band’s debut album sways back and forth and shimmies between musical genres, sometimes jazzy, sometimes electronic and always confusing and invigorating.

Featuring former members of Brainiac, Skeleton Key and Blonde Redhead, the musicians bring remnants of their previous bands to the album.

“Cruel” is a mellow loungy song with a static background that forces the listener to question what exactly is producing the sound, while “Conjugate the Verbs” portrays hippity-hoppity musicianship, funky samples and ever-so-quiet vocals.

On “Come Into,” vocalist John Schmersal reduces his brilliant voice to a simmer, while the rest of his band produces probably the most radio-friendly tune on the record.

Each song winds itself into and out of melodies and proceeds to mess with your head.

“Matters Gray” is a beautiful piece of work, blending together a variety of loops and samples, while Schmersal hypnotizes with his vocal chords.

“Get the Letter Out” would be the result if Beck and The Pixies got into a fight and shook hands afterward, while “For the Sum of It” is another example of the band creating a foot-stomping song, beautifully chopping it into hundreds of pieces and then gluing them back together.

Despite most of these songs being interrupted by intruding sounds of glasses or windows breaking, the band manages to use them effectively. At one point it even sounds like the band is recording a dentist’s drill.

With an enormous variety of sounds, Enon creates innovative music without scaring the listener with something completely experimental. The band walks the line of conventional indie rock and crazy industrial pop. Some mixes sound completely out of place, leaving the album with a disconnected feel. But even after repeated listens, it’s difficult to predict what the band will do next.

DAN JULIAN