Exit Clov is strange. First off, what does it mean? And secondly, what are the members doing?

The first question is easy to answer, once the information is tracked down — “Clov” is a character in Samuel Beckett’s play “Endgame,” so presumably “Exit Clov” is a stage direction from the script.

The second is harder to address. The “Respond Respond” EP fuses dance rhythms and keyboard lines, rock and roll guitar and breathy female vocals. Sometimes it sounds like dance music. Other times it sounds like rock ‘n’ roll. It’s definitely interesting, but makes for an unfailingly enjoyable listen.

“DIY,” the first of the six songs, provides a perfect synopsis of what’s to come.

The lyrics are dark (“Hurt me once/ I’ll kill you twice”) and delivered in a perfect deadpan. Twin sisters Emily and Susan Hsu’s vocals are flat and breathy a la Regina Spektor, a perfect match for each other and a perfect fit for the quirky music provided by the rest of the band.

“MK Ultra” is another standout track, vaguely reminiscent of the New Pornographers or Frou Frou. The chorus is positively uplifting, and the lyrics are the most positive or, if not actually positive, the lightest on the record. The hidden track is a sparse acoustic number, well worth waiting for after the last song ends.

Perhaps the band’s sound is best described as Architecture In Helsinki covering The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry.” These are definitely pop songs, but of a decidedly dark fashion. The super-harmonized wall of vocals on every song is quirky enough to be effective, and the melodies are infectious enough to keep it from seeming overblown. The inclusion of strings feels slightly contrived, but they are used sparingly enough that it’s a forgivable transgression.

So yes, Exit Clov is strange. There’s no denying it. But who says strange is a bad thing? And because the strangeness is ever-present, calling the band “strange” is a little bit like calling air “clear” — it’s too obvious to require pointing out.

They might not be the next big thing, but “Respond Respond” is melodic, haunting, edgy, danceable… and, strange or not, that’s good.

Evan Thorne is a music critic for the Northern Star.