Scottish electro-pop trio Chvrches is no stranger to hype. After releasing hits like “The Mother We Share” and “Recover,” the group has opened for acts like Depeche Mode and Passion Pit while maintaining steady coverage in the music blogosphere—all on the foundation of just a handful of singles.

After more than a year of buzz over the Glassnote Records-signed group’s rise to indie prominence, its first album, The Bones of What You Believe, is out. And it lives up to expectations.

Chvrches’ (pronounced “churches”) music is unabashedly accessible without lacking depth or complexity. Whereas other artists in the electronic genre aim for a darker, less up-front sound with the use of lo-fi aesthetics (think Crystal Castles, Baths), Chvrches shoots straight for the feels with its soaring hooks and upbeat ’80s synth-pop vibe.

Instrumental in the group’s accessibility and dynamic is lead singer Lauren Mayberry’s piercingly saccharine vocals, which she wields to convey both wide-eyed vulnerability and a sense of knowing confidence. Mayberry’s high-pitched vocals are so sweet that the listener might overlook her often calculating lyrics. In fervent head-nod-inducing “Lies,” she sings through her teeth and past her deceptively smiling lips: “I can sell you lies / You can’t get enough…I can feed your dirty mind / Like I know what you want.”

In other tracks like standout single “Recover,” she is as unwavering in her earnestness as the keyboardist is skilled at creating a pulsing backdrop for her as she sings, “If I recover / Will you be my comfort,” over a deluge of shimmering synths.

Similar at times to M83’s music, many of the album’s tracks follow a formula of slowly building before unleashing a gratifying hook. “Tether” perhaps best showcases how Chvrches has perfected the art of a cathartic release. The song steadily marches forward with a tribal beat before it comes to a near-halt in which Mayberry’s voice is the sole focus. With the percussion faded out, she sings what is sure to be a spotlight-on-the-crowd-so-they-sing moment at concerts: “I feel incapable of / Seeing the end, I feel incapable of / Saying it’s over” before the song bursts into a swelling deluge of pure synth magic.

True to the ’80s aesthetic, Chvrches often employs a syncopated stomp-clap beat like the one used in Cindy Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” using drum fills to add a sense of playfulness. Chvrches has cited Lauper as an influence for its sound, after all.

Album highlights include “Science/Visions,” in which Mayberry coos atop a racing four-on-the-floor beat and a synth progression that forays into the world of techno. Bitter breakup song “Lungs” combines a stuttering bass line, clapping rhythms and a more menacing, industrial synth/guitar combo to create something as close to a banger as an electro-pop outfit can.

While the album shines in its abundant up-tempo tracks, it isn’t without a ballad or two, in which members Martin Doherty and Iain Cook tend to lend their vocals. While songs like slow-going “You Caught the Light” change up the group’s usual formula, the trio hits more of the right notes with Mayberry at the vocal helm.

Bones of What You Believe is ultimately a meticulously produced, feel-good pop record. Its melodies are easy to listen to without sounding too familiar, and the lyrics are relatable while also containing deeper meaning. For fans of instant gratification, dynamic keyboard work, hard-hitting beats and a modernized ’80s vibe a la Hot Chip or Cut Copy, this album is one to check out — and definitely one worth buzzing about.

4.5 out of 5 stars