Retic, Miles Tilmann

(Triple Door) Retic predominantly works in classic downtempo-IDM mode, evoking the best aspects of Casino Versus Japan, Boards of Canada, and the more chill moments of Plaid. His sound design is mazelike and amazing and his rhythms subtly funky, helping him to enliven a style that peaked over a decade ago. Check out www.soundcloud.com/retic for a panoramic vista of Retic's excellent productions. A prolific recording artist for labels like Toytronic and sub:marine, Tilmann recently relocated from Chicago to Seattle but has kept a very low profile since moving here. Thankfully, Retic lured him out of his lab for this gig. Tilmann excels at punchy, low-bpm'd, psychedelic headphone electronica, his tracks brimming with fascinating textures, tricky rhythms, and gorgeous melodies. After the disturbing brain drain Seattle's electronic-music scene's experienced this year, Tilmann's presence (let's hope this show begets more live appearances) is a needed boon for the city's beat-centric environment. You can sample some of Tilmann's music at www.milestilmann.bandcamp.com.

Grum, Flat Black, Case One, Sean Majors

(HG Lodge) HG Lodge steps up its electronic-music game a notch by booking Leeds, En­gland's Grum (aka Graeme Shepherd), who creates breezy, confectionary Italo disco and sleek, slick Gallic house that exudes a suburban squeaky-clean sheen. Grum's music kind of recalls that of locals U.S.E, but with less over-the-top exuberance. And of course he covers David Bowie's "Fashion"—in globs of saccharine. Get on the sugar foot, I guess. DAVE SEGAL

The Song Show: David Bazan, THEESatisfaction, Loch Lomond

(Triple Door) Another edition of the Song Show at the Triple Door, another opportunity to see some fine Seattle bands play acoustic or otherwise stripped-down/adventurous sets and then endure (or, if everything goes just right, excel at) live onstage interviews. From an audience's perspective, the best of the former is almost certainly worth the worst of the latter. Hell, troubled, fallen Christian troubadour David Bazan probably has some weird, affecting stories to tell about faith and doubt and Cornerstone Festival and the demon booze. And from a musical/identity-politics niche on the whole other side of the spectrum, THEESatisfaction can speak to what it means to be young, gifted, and bi in the Seattle hiphop scene. Loch Lomond can dress down music journalists for the lazy Decemberists comparisons. And everyone can enjoy the shrimp (unless you're allergic). ERIC GRANDY

Free Moral Agents, Nocando, Scriptures, Says

(Comet) Long Beach, California's Free Moral Agents ply a strange blend of ornate goth rock and rock-ribbed dub, without succumbing to the rote tropes of either genre. Featuring the Mars Volta's Ikey Owens on keyboards and the Siouxsie-esque vocalist Mendee Ichikawa, FMA create a cavernous, spectacularly dramatic sound that should bulge the tight confines of the Comet. L.A. battle rapper and Low End Theory regular Nocando has a great new album on the unimpeachable Alpha Pup Records titled Jimmy the Lock. "If I'm not the future of the West, the West has no future," Nocando bluntly states on "Hurry Up and Wait," just one plausible boast on one of the year's most riveting rap tracks. The rest of the album hits ruthlessly hard, too, like a Cali-fied Clipse. DAVE SEGAL

We Are Scientists, the Black Whales, Rewards

(Neumos) Coming on like Franz Ferdinand's angry younger brother and unafraid of Hall & Oates—levels of hookiness, We Are Scientists are the New York-by-way-of-Pomona band that, like a handful of American "cult" acts, crosses the Atlantic to become mainstream UK stars. What this means for American audiences: intimate club dates with a band that's acquainted with stadiums. In other words: Hurrah. Opening the show: Seattle's lovingly Brit-poppy Black Whales and Brooklyn's spacey synth-wrangler Rewards. DAVID SCHMADER

We Are Scientists

(Sonic Boom Capitol Hill) See above.

And there's always more in our complete music calendar listings.