The opener, "Antenna," teases with synthy beeps and hand claps and impossibly cute voices, but then quickly switches things up with a divinely locked-down drum and bass beat. Take my word for it: you won't be ready for the downbeat. This big sound briefly takes a break with spacey layers and alien-voiced chant floating around in your head. But be ready: that beat comes back again in full force and builds to its splashy and crashy end. Another track, "Ajito Rita," pulls a similar "switch up" trick on you. Its introduction sets you up with up only a solo voice and timid hand percussion, but then slaps you in the face (in the best way) with an irresistible drum and distorted bass groove. The track is get-out-of-your-seat good, and it goes to show that tokyo pinsalocks has big beats down pat.

The toe-tapper of Planet Rita is "Circle." Its impressively tight rhythm section sets up a pulse that drives this quirky piece into your head. The rock chorus flows with thick vocals and a quickly moving bass line, and when that's topped that off with weird spacey keyboard noises, you have electropop magic.

As it starts, "cosmic groove" sounds as if it is being performed by a more melody-focused Japanese female Doors. Brilliant drums and a relentless bass loop propel you to an ear full of chorus section. And what would a cosmic groove be without a synth solo? This big chorus is followed by a kaleidoscopic lead solo that spans the entire second half of the song.

In contrast, "Wolf and Sheep" sets out early with a very chill, head bobbing rhythm augmented by spoken word vocals. The chorus comes back at you with liquidy harmonies and organ stabs reminiscent of 1960s psychedelic rock. Later, a decidedly more modern lead synth and filtered drums float atop the mix, making this the most trippy, easy-going track of the bunch.

While less groove-based and more tempo restrained than the rest, "ideal cosmos" still rocks. Being teased twice before, I expected to have my ass kicked once more. But, in the end, "ideal cosmos" stays pretty chill, with cool organ chords and a laid-back beat.

The collection rounds out with "Airport." This does a perfect job of summarizing the sound of both Planet Rita and tokyo pinsalocks. Air traffic control has cleared this flight for smooth flying, so sit back and relax as a steady beat and dreamy vocal stacks carry you off. New-wave-ish keyboard work will have you reclining your seat all the way back, and you'll be floating in no time.

tokyo pinsalocks real forte is addictive grooves, and Planet Rita is jam-packed with expertly executed examples performed by one of the tightest rhythm sections I've heard in a long time. They have piles of personality, and it shows in the fun that oozes out of each song. This three-piece continues to make music that easy to move to and even easier to appreciate. Don't be surprised if this unapologetically poppy collection sucks you up in its tractor beam and takes you home.

Planet Rita will be released on JapanFiles on March 19th. Fans will want to be sure to check them out at Anime Boston and the Knitting Factory (in New York City) later in March.