Back in May — or June, or July; I don’t know, I can’t remember what I ate for dinner five days ago, much less when I had a revelation — I decided that what I was going to do in the back half of the year was expand my musical horizons. I was going to go see new-to-me local bands! I was going to listen to albums by bands outside of my usual musical comfort zone! (My usual musical comfort zone: dudes with banjos and acoustic guitars and beards. And the Rolling Stones.) And I did, some — caught some new bands, went to see local punks Pink Flag and the Butchies with Ash, but mostly, I’m just seeing fewer shows this year than I did in 2009. Not by a huge margin, and the flush of great October shows should change that some, but I am.

And mostly, out of those shows, I’ve seen and listened to bands in my comfort zone. Today I listened to podcasts, and the new Avett Brothers live album. Guys with beards and banjos.

Not so last night, though; last night was Film School, a dreamy electro-indie-pop outfit out of San Francisco, and Millionyoung, who from my seat at the bar appeared to be a two-person electro-indie-pop outfit much closer to the “eletronica” side of the scale than the “indie pop” side. Not that either of them were out of my comfort zone musically — I love Beach House, Wye Oak, Portishead, a lot of big name old school New Wave bands — but outside of Wye Oak, it’s not a sound I generally find myself seeking out live.

I should, more, if only because Film School makes supremely lovely — and that’s the only word for their drifty, driving pop songs — music. I found their set calming, and fascinating. It wasn’t music I had to think about; it was music that I could turn my brain off for, soak into it and just feel the bass lines, the frantic drumming, the rhythmic vocals, under my skin and seeping into my bones. And they do that exquisitely. Recorded, Film School is compelling, and live, they’re something else entirely. Stand halfway back in the crowd, close your eyes, and just listen for the length of a song; then open your eyes and be surprised that the shimmering, climbing guitar and piano lines are being made by only four people. Live, they’re complicated and complex without being frustrating, an adjective that I could apply to other electro-pop acts that I’ve had the pleasure (or not) of seeing live.

It’s accessible, interesting electro-pop, I guess is what I’m saying. Film School makes thickly textured and interestingly layered music; they don’t scream where they could croon, and they don’t wail where they could wind their way into the climax of a song instead. It’s music put together with great care, and it’s still buzzing around in my head today. It’s the kind of show that’s going to skitter around underneath my skin for a while; Fission is an album that I’m going to keep going back to. Film School wasn’t a band I’d heard of before a few weeks ago, and they aren’t a band I would have necessarily sought out on my own. I’m glad they crossed my path, though. It was a great show.

Film School keeps touring, minus Millionyoung, with dates available here. Recommended.