We’ve now advanced far enough past the first decade of the 21st Century to see the emergence of bands clearly influenced by the music of the early 2000s.

One of those influencers is Animal Collective, whose giddy, frenetic, densely polyrhythmic and multi-layered sound immediately set them apart when they hit the scene in the mid-to-early 00s. The release, in particular, of their 2009 commercial hit, Merriweather Post Pavilion, was a massive ocean liner whose wake has continued to affect the tides ten years after its recording.

One band who bobs in that wake, in the best sense, is Philadelphia’s Son Step. There’s is a beautifully stratified sound that combines electronic and analog elements seamlessly, a marriage which can be heard on their new album, Fossilililies, to be released May 17 by Grind Select.

To get fans ready for the new album, the band has released a video to accompany its title track. Director Bucky Illingworth conjures, via a collage-like parade of unsettling images, the kind of “apocalypse angst” we can all relate to these days. The track itself is both densely baroque and catchy, its breezily delivered lyrics calling up a world where mankind, while currently a dominant, destructive force, is ultimately as insignificant as a pile of dried leaves.

Son Step, whose first work was released in 2011, is clearly a well-rounded, tight unit. On “Fossilillies,” though, the contribution of drummer Matt Scarano sticks out. Indie rock isn’t full of drummers with jazz-ready chops, so Scarano’s work, particularly on the latter track, is notable for its precision, complexity, and dominance in the mix.

To hear more of Scarano – not to mention Jon Coyle and Joel Gleiser (synths and vocals) and bass player Chris Coyle – go to sonstep.bandcamp.com. You can also try and catch them somewhere along their album-supporting tour (which includes a June 6 album release party at Brooklyn’s Alphaville). Click here for details.

Son Step – Fossililliesyoutu.be

Matt Fink lives and works in Brooklyn. Go to organgrind.com for more of his work.

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