In 2005, Toronto's DD/MM/YYYY released a debut full-length called The Blue Screen of Death - a 25-song art-rock epic featuring hiccupy tracks with cheeky names such as Cancer Boy On Hash and Welcome to the Fortress of the Fluffy Cloud. It was an apt introduction to a fiercely experimental band that says it has "no name" and takes a "no style" approach to music.

In 2007, DD/MM/YYYY released its sophomore record, Are They Masks? - another sprawling 21-song collection of comically titled, obstinately arty noise-rock tunes.

Clearly, DD/MM/YYYY is not a band you'd describe as being particularly focused - but that's all about to change with its third full-length outing, Black Square.

Released digitally on Feb. 17 (and slated to hit the street in March), the album is, at 12 songs, about half the length of its predecessors. According to bassist/vocalist Mike Claxton, that's no accident.

"(The record's) a lot more concise," Claxton, 25, says over the phone from Toronto. "Every other record we've done, we've packed it with as much as possible. Here, we cut things out and we were more selective."

Significantly paring down the record's tracklist wasn't the only factor that contributed to its overall cohesion.

"We really practiced together and wrote everything together on this one," Claxton says. "The songs feel more organic. They feel more alive. They feel more like compositions as opposed to little ditties."

With Black Square, it's evident that DD/MM/YYYY - which is completed by multi-instrumentalists Thomas Del Balso, Matt King, Jordan Holmes, Moshe Rozenberg, Eric Warner and Roger Leavens - chose quality over quantity. The result is an urgent set of expertly crafted songs that are a little less goofy and a little more grown-up.

Claxton agrees. "The older stuff is quirkier, a little more tongue-in-cheek. We don't sing about the Olsen twins anymore. It's probably because we're older."

That said, the ethos of DD/MM/YYYY hasn't changed much since the its inception. Despite challenges when it comes to matters of accessibility (music aside, much has been made about the band's somewhat problematic moniker), the group is staying true to its experimental esthetic.

"As far as an audience goes, people don't know where we're coming from or where we're going, but taking risks is rewarding for us, personally," Claxton says. "We recognize that it's technically a problem. But we like it. We go with it. It keeps us separated."

DD/MM/YYYY
Feb. 23, 9 p.m., Royal Albert Arms
w/ Sylvie
&
Feb. 23, 5 p.m., Into the Music (in-store performance)