A number of acts from D.C.’s indie-pop era  gathered earlier spring for the chickfactor shows at Artisphere, but biggest surprise might have been the tight, noisy set from Lorelei, who emerged from the Slumberland scene in the 1990s—-and even inspired the title chickfactor—-but haven’t released anything since 2003’s Informed by the Future EP.

The band has a new album, Enterprising Sidewalks, out Aug. 16 on Slumberland, and you can hear the first single, “Hammer Meet Tongs” on the label’s Soundcloud, on Pitchfork, and below. It’s satisfying: Lorelei has lost none of its post-shoegaze complexity, nor its pop sensibility. (The shimmery guitars and repetitive vocals shine.) Turn up the volume at 2:15 for maximum enjoyment of the swirling, instrumental second half—-those drums! That drone!—-which builds up beautifully.