Picture a winter book-ended by haunting, cloudy days, punctuated by pinholes of rare sunlight throughout. That’s a bit how Brooklyn’s The Library Is on Fire’s aesthetic sounds: moody, consuming, and fuzz-addled, with occasional sparks of energy. Their third LP, Works on Paper, deftly embodies atmospheric, cloudy-day noise pop with a sharp ear tuned to melody–a balance that works toward creating an intriguing indie noise art piece.

Works on Paper features a smattering of ho-hum, Wurlitzer-tinged, Yo La Tengo/Dinosaur Jr.-styled noise pop, combined with a Guided by Voices laid-back, lo-fi approach. Opener “Hypnos Walking” sets up an eerie sound that’s rapidly debunked by “Basquiat”, a chugging, melodic track, situating the complex relationship of sound Works on Paper explores and successfully balances throughout. The reflective, retro-acoustic tone of “Stranded on Monster Island” topples into “They Don’t Know You Like I Know You”, a poppy confession ensnared with the adolescent bitterness one might find in a ’60s prom ballad.

The pensive “Jewels in Your Eyes” folds into “Hypnos Waiting”, the jarring tone echoing the album’s three ballasts (including opener “Hypnos Walking” and closer “Hypnos Returns”). This “Hypnos” trio acts as a grounding effect; the retro acoustic and noise pop funnel into these beautiful moments, steadying the album’s varied style. It’s a hodgepodge of sound, but it works and is sure to please listeners yearning for a distant cousin of the Wrens or other early ’90s indie rock. A collage of sounds that wouldn’t make sense in the hands of many other bands, The Library Is on Fire shows a capable, artistic handling on Works on Paper, an engaging album that warrants repeat visits.

Essential Tracks: “They Don’t Know You Like I Know You”, “Basquiat”, and “Hypnosis Returns”