I’m not one to suppose that in the present the entirety of Scotland’s music scene is without an original thought, but a great majority of the NME’s cheat sheet is rife with rip-offs and retreads—only stricken with that thick, tartan accent. Every couple of years, though, there are a handful of bands that pique the interest of the indie-rock underworld, and as we wait patiently for Franz Ferdinand to return (are we?), it’s pretty easy to revel in the wild experimentation and/or disco-punk herk-n-jerk of Edinburgh’s Magnificents.

In lesser hands Year of Explorers could be a disaster. In form and function, the backbone of the Magnificents’ songwriting relies heavily on the deft melody of Franz, but the band forgo the carbon copy by texturing their sound with a barrage of synths and circuit bending. To their credit, the Magnificents don’t succumb to simply grafting on electronic accoutrements to bolster their already catchy choruses, instead they operate in two modes, both of which make them unique to what could be considered a tired genre. “Ring Ring Oo Oo” is the most obvious, wholly romantic and new wave in its intent by showering the guitars with a glittering rain of Tubeway Army esotery. “How Longs Gone” is another example of this mainline pop, but gurgling and churning beneath are layers of echoed oscillations and keyboard snarl.