Pterodactyl

For its first album on the Brah imprint of the Jagjaguwar label (run by members of the latter's Oneida), the Ohio noise-rock group Pterodactyl relocated to Brooklyn, and tapped into the borough's knack for experimental music. While the band's vocals sometimes recall those of the like-minded Animal Collective, Pterodactyl opts for a more metallic and obtuse sound, as revealed on the chaotic, reverb-soaked "Esses." An intelligent blend of twitchy hardcore spasms and arty sonics and structures, this album bodes well for the young band's future.