Rising Stars: Alternative

“We’ve got the vision, now let’s have some fun,” preach electro-fabulous freaks MGMT on “Time to Pretend,” and the sentiment could stand as an unofficial motto for each of our rising stars of alternative music. After all, indulging in a good time while reveling in their own sonic sensibilities is what it’s all about for these out-of-the-box up-and-comers, from the edgy, art-school vibe of the Duke Spirit’s “The Step and the Walk,” to the cool, collected buzz of Silversun Pickups’ “Panic Switch,” to the new-day disco-rama of Passion Pit’s sweat-soaked “The Reeling.”

“Shut Up and Let Me Go,” demand the Ting Tings. They want to head into Next Steps and, trust us, so do you.

Southern boys Cage the Elephant ride a Delta-blues slide into some Bible-belt hellraising with their instantaneously addictive alt-sermon celebration “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Elsewhere in the alternative universe, the smooth synth-pop surface of “Vanished” from Crystal Castles masks a covert assault on your eardrums and brainwaves, while New Jersey outfit the Gaslight Anthem prove they were born to run with large retro-rock power sources like “The ’59 Sound,” and A Place to Bury Strangers embark on a wide and wondrous “Ocean” to drift on shimmering waves of carefully cultivated noise.

“I’m Not Over,” pleads Carolina Liar, and neither are we — more of alt’s rising stars await in Deep Cuts.

We’ve searched far and wide through hole-in-the-wall clubs, poster-papered basements, and vibrating garages to bring you the best of alternative music’s rising stars. What did we end up with? Just feast your ears on everything from the dangerous post-punk pulsations of White Rabbits’ “Percussion Gun” to the dreamy girl-group electronica of Au Revoir Simone’s “Fallen Snow.” On “Your Rocky Spine,” Great Lake Swimmers paddle through a soundscape shaped by mountain ranges, harvest moons, and Canadian-country banjo; while Ra Ra Riot swing a string section for added effect on the quirky indie-rock morsel “A Manner to Act.”

With tunes assaulting us from every angle in the age of file-sharing and bottomless playlists, keeping on top of what’s cutting-edge in the genre-hopping alternative music arena can be a fulltime job. But don’t worry — we’ve got you covered with our Rising Stars: Alternative Essentials, a top-to-bottom tour of the acts who are following their own individual muses and coming on strong. Witness the righteous alt-rap of Flobots and their understated anthem “Handlebars,” the ethereal uplift of Fleet Foxes and “White Winter Hymnal,” or the festival-friendly indie sounds of Manchester Orchestra and “I’ve Got Friends.” Anberlin shines like chrome on the heavy emo hybrid “Feel Good Drag,” while new-school power trio Grand Ole Party get down and dirty with the swamp-hot blues rock of “Look Out Young Son,” but in a way, all our rising stars are busy doing the same thing — setting tomorrow’s trends today.