Pol Sembrano’s self-titled debut album is nine tracks’ worth of extremely electric, post-modern EDM inspired, yet ultimately transcendent, synth and keyboard work. However, these overt tendencies to court and cultivate mass appeal, as it were, are tempered by a decent quantity of rap drum patterns and Sembrano’s expressive vocal phrasings. When this combination comes to fruition with aplomb, which it does on a sizable portion of the album, the worthy gent definitely has something that one can feel as well as hear for the duration of the tune.

Sounds idealistic? Then just run through “Number”, an easy going, mid-tempo song substantially steeped in what could pass for 80’s type keys (that sound like ice), but are programmed in 16ths or something faster. The setup is the 808 snare, which comes out early and often. The tune seemingly blossoms in mid-stride at the start of the second verse, in which the kick and an additional snare take hold and make what was sounding like a pensive, Michael Jackson-esque ballad into something that bangs. As in, hard.

Plus, Sembrano’s exploring the time-honored theme of trying to get close to a babe, only to have little results more than the mere attempt. “When will I ever learn that I must take a number?” he belts out on a palatable hook that makes the already beating music sound even better.

“On That Day” is another standout, again, for the sincerity of its drum pattern. This time the snare is doubling and tripling its own efforts, to the delight of the music. “Day” is as swift as “Number” is laidback, with the former once again drowning in super fast synths that are dizzyingly quick—and which counterpoint the way Sembrano takes the long way on his vocal phrasing.

In fact, the way he takes his time in the vocal booth, hitting high notes, sounds more than a little like classic 80’s British pop. It’s unclear if that was his intention, but you almost need to listen a couple times to make out that the artist doesn’t have a British accent on cuts like “Open Mind”, which sets off the collection of songs, and “Anywhere”. Both of these efforts are blatant in their appeal for getting crowds out on the dance floor, with the latter invoking a raconteur approach to doing just that, with someone purportedly special.