Who: The Mynabirds

When: August 10

Where: Arena Escobar, Berlin

Laura Burhenn, the backbone of The Mynabirds, is a well-established presence in the American indie pop scene. As a part of the Saddle Creek gang in Omaha, she’s lent her rich voice to the music of Bright Eyes and The Postal Service, among others. Her latest album with The Mynabirds, Lovers Know, is fresh off of the vinyl presses today, and finds the band adopting a much more retro tone. The sweeping, keyboard and synth-heavy 80s sound verges on cheesy, but it never crosses that line: it’s all been filtered through the lens of our modern-day. As Burhenn sings yearningly of her constant oscillation between wanderlust and homesickness, we’re reminded of the struggle we all feel in a world that’s changing too quickly for us to keep up with. Though this sounds terribly weighty, when set against the backdrop of a sunset on the Spree, what you’ll be left with is a shimmering-yet-poignant performance.

Who: Ought

When: August 17

Where: //:about blank, Berlin

Ought is one of those bands that caught the attention of the music industry quite early on in their short career, which I can only assume is a result of the raw, uninhibited energy showcased on their 2014 debut full-length, More Than Any Other Day. The Montreal-based post-punk group is a hodgepodge of members from all corners of the world, from New England to Australia. With a sound reminiscent of The Talking Heads, Ought are not in the business of easy listening: their music can be fragmented, bouncing erratically from melodic line to melodic line. Their lyrics are a discourse on the discontent of our generation, but in a way that’s mobilizing and unifying, suggesting that we’re all in this mess together. It’s this very unpredictable, biting nature of their music that makes Ought so refreshing. Needless to say, all are eagerly awaiting the upcoming release of their sophomore album, Sun Coming Down, on September 18.