Matthew Dear had a breakthrough release in 2003, Leave Luck To Heaven, that saw him make electronic music that flirted with the world of pop. Asa Breed is the full-blooded step into that field. Though his low-key tenor won't have anyone mistaking this for the Beach Boys, there is a directness and hooky feel that premeates the album. A nice companion to the Junior Boys or even a digital take on the recent pop-noir of The National, Asa Breed is a sleeper in every way: unassuming, seemingly innocuous, but capable of touching the rear nook in your brain with ease.