Another disco-punk band? Is that what we really need, another throwback band with kitschy funk basslines and disco beats?

Probably not, but don’t hold that against the Moving Units. Forming in late 2001, the band quickly became a Los Angeles sensation, scoring big time with scenesters and critics looking for another Strokes. Their self-titled EP was released in 2002 and became a college-rock smash. The dynamite “Between Us & Them” was even played on L.A. rock-radio giant KROQ. It seemed a safe bet that the Moving Units would indeed be the next big thing.

Fast forward to 2004. A full-length album has yet to be released. But the problem isn’t if or when the album will be released, but if anyone will care anymore. Can the Moving Units ever regain their momentum?

For now, the answer would appear to be yes. It’s true that bands like the Rapture and Franz Ferdinand have claimed public affection in a way that the Moving Units could have, but this does not mean that there isn’t room for more. The Rapture and Franz Ferdinand have actually sold some records and have gotten on the radio. And the band who broke the mold for Gang of Four-style dancey post-punk, the Strokes, are more popular than ever, as are bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Modest Mouse. With a stop at Coachella and the full-length album finally set for a summer release, the band’s timing couldn’t be better.

Of course, the music itself is what should matter. In the case of the Moving Units, they deliver the goods. “Between Us & Them” begins the band’s EP with a solitary guitar belting two alternating chords before a hammering beat comes out of nowhere to keep the guitars in line. The effect is so potent that the rest of the song could suck and you’d be too busy dancing to notice. However, it doesn’t suck; the song is a fine restructuring of minor-key post-punk into a hip-shaking shuffle.

The rest of the songs on the EP don’t quite match the glory of its opener, but they have promise. “X and Y” sounds even more anxious with shrill vocals topping another loping bassline and slithery beat. It’s nothing novel and the lyrics are inaudible or senseless, but these concerns are secondary to the “rock out” factor. If the band doesn’t reinvent the wheel, they at least keep it rolling with style.