The playful allusion in the title of the fourth album by Death From Above 1979, Is 4 Lovers, is very characteristic of their work, which is filled with lyrics that match turn-of-phrase with sleight of hand to create clever visuals you can just barely make out through the distorted vocals. Oscar Wilde would have loved DFA 1979, not only because its message is witty but because it’s great to dance to.

While the band has said Is 4 Lovers is about love, one can’t help but notice the many references to the changing times, the seriousness of the division in politics, and the effects of social media on the elderly.

Single “One + One” is a danceable love song written as drummer- vocalist Sebastien Grainger’s wife became pregnant. It’s an ode to what can be created when two people come together to make something new. As their first self-produced record, Is 4 Lovers is a one-bassist and one-drummer gestalt that pleases the ears, makes toes tap and booties shake.

Few albums these days don’t have direct commentary on these very strange times. Death From Above 1979 follow suit. Opener “Modern Man” kicks off with the lyric, “Progress is not a promise,” and a riff reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix wailing out the national anthem. Fast-paced and rooted in DFA 1979’s provocative percussion, this song sets a brisk tone for the album.

“Propaganda is getting to the grandmas,” Grainger sings, reminding us of those left behind in a dial-up world. This sentiment is echoed again on “Totally Wiped Out,” a dance-punk ballad about surfing the web ‘til you’re dumb. The sound of the screeching guitar and the rat-a-tat drumming keep you apprehensively moving forward on a wave that’s about to wipe out on some fake news site.

Continuing on a pop motif, “Glass Homes” sounds like the first level of a “Mario Brothers” game before quickly dropping into an easygoing track. Thematically, the song takes a more compassionate look at extreme political differences, remining us that we’re all messed up and throwing stones from glass houses.

But back to “One + One,” a melodic and romantic single with a bridge that slows down the fast-paced dance beat to accommodate a close-embraced sway. Death From Above 1979 takes a very proactive stance on love. And unlike Billie Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, who sings “love is suicide;” or Pat Benatar, who sings “love is a battlefield,” DFA 1979 takes a highly optimistic view. It’s something you might hear from a counselor or therapist:  “Love is action.”

Later on the album, “Love Letter” takes a more sentimental approach, keying on a power pop piano intro and prominent percussion before taking several left-hand turns into psychodelia and ending with a muffled drumroll and possibly some xylophone that trails off like a love letter you never sent.

“N.Y.C. Power Elite Part I” is a funny and sardonic take on the lifestyles of the rich and famous who fuel New York.

“I haven’t carried cash since 9/11,” Grainger sings in a lighthearted enough manner that these very same elites could happily sing along. However, the following “N.Y.C Power Elite Part II” brings the lighthearted roast to a halt with a more downbeat and metallic sound.

“It’s killing me just living in this city and in this body,” Grainger repeats in the chorus. The agony in his voice expresses the feeling of inhabiting an aging body and living on the fifth floor with no cartilage left in your knees.

“Mean Streets” appears to be another homage to New York, starting with a hopeful piano motif and lilting lyrics about the machismo of young ego “like Robert DeNiro.” The song then abruptly crashes down with an aggressive, thrashy break, like a man suddenly beating on the hood of a car, yelling “I’m walking here!” Just as suddenly, it returns to original melody.

It’s with this note that the album comes to a close with “No War,” a ballad describing the difficulty of the world that descends into a repetitive sound of chaos. Grainger sings of “fake noose, hang truth,” and, “The whole world is hard to believe.”

The phrase can be interpreted in several way and is emblematic reflection of what it feels like to be living in 2021.

Follow Gabrielle Poccia on Instagram.