Wither instrumental post-rock? A billion bands with violas, violins, banjos, and balalaikas have all but impoverished what was once a resource-rich ocean of weepy descending minor chords and triumphant crescendo builds. But on their new record, Eyes at Half Mast, Portland duo Talkdemonic manage to find a bit of sustenance amid this barren realm. Using skittering laptop beats and wobbly synths that owe a debt to peers like Dntel, Talkdemonic finds creative ways to keep their compositions fresh, even though their medium is in recession. There’s no saving a sinking ship, but here’s proof that post-rock hasn’t gone completely bankrupt.

TALKDEMONIC PERFORMS WITH BON SAVANTS AND ALBATROSS AT 9 P.M. AT THE RED AND THE BLACK, 1212 H ST. NE. $8.