Hit Pick

With much of the world dangling over an abyss of terror and war, now may be the most tense time in recent history to be alive. As if in spontaneous reaction comes Black Black Ocean. While most indie-rock bands whimper and cringe, the Denver quartet (which appears Saturday, February 8, at the 15th Street Tavern, with Uphollow and Monofog) struts and twitches with an almost feverish kinesis. Bassist Quentin Schermerhorn and drummer Jared Black stretch tripwires of rhythm across each song, baited by the jittery guitars of Ryan Eason and Stephen Pill. Eason’s vocals are the trigger: Piercing and jagged, they jerk out of his throat like loose teeth tied to a doorknob. With the occasional bleat of an electro synthesizer, the ensuing racket writhes like Les Savy Fav and jolts like the Liars. The group, although less than a year old, has already gained a reputation for its spasmodic, hip-cramping live shows; its upcoming full-length album should be a fitting soundtrack to either make-out sessions or the end of the world. Dark, wrenching and desperate, the sound of Black Black Ocean is as apoplectic as it is apocalyptic.