The Forms may just rock your world at Mr. Roboto

With a Steve Albini-produced debut album under their belt and an effervescent fountain of… With a Steve Albini-produced debut album under their belt and an effervescent fountain of critical adoration coming from all angles, The Forms have become one of the most celebrated new acts to come out of Brooklyn in the past year, a credit to their lively stage performances and their experimental songwriting.

Mysterious and quirky, its members adopt aliases like “Aquaman,” and its press release notes that a Catholic geology teacher and a computer scientist help comprise the band’s roster. In short, the group’s sound could be described as a field study in the remaining possibilities of the traditional rock palette: guitars, bass and drums are thrown around like splatter paint, somehow landing on the ears with beautiful precision.

Icarus, the band’s early 2003 debut, is more of an instrumental brainstorm than a cohesive compilation of songs. Its 10 tracks span a mere 18 minutes, and its songs defy the very concept of what a song should be. They are void of verses, choruses, hooks and coherent lyrics. Few of them last any longer than two minutes, with one track being more than sufficient with little more than 30 seconds of guitar harmonics. But despite their seemingly messy compositions, a brainy, mathematic audacity unveils itself.

The Forms’ vocal chanting may remind listeners of emo icons like Sunny Day Real Estate, and its brooding, complex instrumentation of math-rock heroes like Shellac and Faraquet. But that’s not to say their sound lacks originality – it’s clear that The Forms thrive on doing things differently. Musical ambition is The Forms’ glue, and it will no doubt propel them to greatness, as long as they don’t fly too close to the sun.

The Forms will be performing at Mr. Roboto Project in Wilkinsburg on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5. For more information, call (412) 247-9639.