L.A. duo High Places’ fructose-y, frothily danceable dub exudes a mutant-tropical aura, augmented by Mary Pearson’s dreamy, faux-naif cooing. New York City tourmates Soft Circle—featuring ex–Black Dice drummer Hisham Bharoocha and Bird Show multi-instrumentalist Ben Vida—once created ceremonial and cosmic music geared for mind cleanses and impossibly cool new religions. Their new material is more upbeat and accessible, but still decidedly left field. Both acts guarantee beneficent vibes. With Tiny Vipers. (Vera Project, 305 Harrison St, 956-8372, 7:30 pm, $10, all ages)

Dave Segal is a journalist and DJ living in Seattle. He has been writing about music since 1983. His stuff has appeared in Gale Research’s literary criticism series of reference books, Creem (when...