Sofa Kings

The Sydney duo of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic maintain a streamlined sense of propulsion on their third EP, keeping each of their giddy indie-pop anthems pruned to less than four minutes (and often less than three). Opener “Kool Aid” evokes the svelte earworms of Phoenix, while the jangle and perky backbeat of “I Wanna Dance With You” similarly recalls The Drums’ compact volleys of romantic directness. “Sofa King” takes the latter sentiment a step forward with the repeated declaration “You’re so fucking gorgeous.” The biggest surprise is hearing the band slow down dramatically on the closing “Farewell Warning,” a gauzy ballad that’s purely instrumental for the first half. It reveals a softer, more melancholy side of Royel Otis, but it’s just as appealing.

The duo have bags of hooks and charm, and are updating the ramshackle energy of 2010s indie-pop with a sleeker, more efficient sound