There's a gloss of electronica on the 1997 Dambuilders' album, Against the Stars, but these synth and drum loops have less to do with today's ambient-rave and bass-heavy mixes than they do with such early-'80s British synthesizer bands as A Flock of Seagulls and Icicle Works. Like their models, the Dambuilders are essentially a pop band with art-rock pretensions. The industrial-strength, microchip rhythms and portentous vocals barely disguise a love for radio-friendly pop hooks. Fortunately, the quartet has a knack for such hooks, which are kicked into motion by all the technology the band can muster.