To say Shine and Scatter, a release by Somerville’s Strange Passage, is captivating is an extreme understatement. The strikingly clean, sharp jangle pop with subtle punk undertones is gripping, as its polished sound stands out among the scuzzy garage rock dominating the Boston scene as of late.

There is a time machine quality to the band’s music. If you close your eyes and take a listen to the opener, “Lament,” you find yourself at the turn of the decade…between the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. It has a new wave-esque quality to it, but leans dramatically toward the indie genre of the era. Even the vocals by Renato Montenegro echo this pattern (think a healthy blend of Morrissey and Michael Stipe) while infusing unique lyrical wit into the mix.

All four tracks of the EP offer up a sort of charm that combine to create a diverse, but unified masterpiece. “Viaducts Burning Down” embodies the panic of an apocalypse. The strong verses drive into a chorus that musically assures you with infectiously catchy, jangly riffs that the end of the world can actually be rather graceful.

The album’s title track evokes a deep sense of nostalgia that somehow triggers a familiar warmth while it gives you haunting chills. It’s cheery, but acknowledges the darkness of reality—delightfully bittersweet.

In the final song, “People Being People,” Montenegro croons And I strained my mind to explain my flawed design. Fortunately for listeners, the design for Shine and Scatter was executed perfectly by Strange Passage.