Residing somewhere around the seldom-traveled intersection of alt-rock swagger and dance club grooves, UK trio Kava Kava’s Forwards is a curious hybrid indeed. Much like the alleged effects of the band’s namesake intoxicant, the album’s style is equal parts upbeat and mellow, laced with a welcome trace of psychedelic effects. It’s a tough act to name-check – there are echoes of groups from Thievery Corporation to TV on the Radio to Pet Shop Boys, but that doesn’t quite paint an accurate picture of the Kava Kava sound.

Given all of those disparate elements, Forwards is a surprisingly straightforward album on the surface, but it’s filled with fascinating flourishes that push the proceedings to a higher level. The insistent drumbeat and fuzzy, repetitive guitar riff that open up “Everything,” for instance, are soon joined by spacey electronic effects, creating a slightly off-kilter sound that elevates what could be a fairly standard rock track to a different level. “Forwards” starts off slow and reflective, but gradually builds into a majestic swell of echo effects, wandering guitar licks and orchestral ornamentation, while “Don’t Stop the Music” strikes a funky disco tone that manages to simultaneously hint at both Robert Palmer and the Isley Brothers.

Pat Fulgoni’s vocals add another unique wrinkle. His whiskey-smooth delivery on the mournful title track brings to mind the alterna-lounge stylings of Morphine’s Mark Sandman, while the raucous “Bank Job” finds him occasionally verging on Tom Jones territory as he growls and purrs his way across a soundscape of electronic horns and DJ scratches. It’s a voice that demands to be blared over a pulsating dance floor.

As a rule, dance remix bonus tracks are one of the most disposable elements of any given album. Forwards is the rare exception, a solid album whose strengths are only amplified by a more party-minded approach. The record ends with grooved-up remixes of “Don’t Stop the Music” and “Tic” (by Andrea Fiorino and Jon Kennedy, respectively) that just accentuate the ethereal elements at the heart of Kava Kava’s appeal.

There’s a peculiar tension throughout Forwards that might be called flirtation with the mainstream. On a number of occasions, a song seems poised to erupt into radio-ready sturm und drang, only have a well-timed sound effect or sample send it spiraling off into far quirkier territory. That kind of beguiling production keeps Forwards sounding consistently fresh and engaging even after repeated listens. In these days of mash-ups and mix tapes, creating a sound out of a mélange of disparate influences is par for the course, but it’s always a thrill to hear it done as deftly as it is here.

Recommended tracks: “Don’t Stop the Music,” “Forwards,” “Bank Job”