If Tortoise or the Sea and Cake are post-rock, then Ashby is post-pop. The Boston-based duo of multi-instrumentalists Evelyn Pope (who also sings and writes the songs) and William Cowie (who produces) seamlessly blends electronica experiments and pure pop in a manner reminiscent of a collaboration between Mouse on Mars and the Cardigans. Their debut album, facetiously titled Power Ballads, was released by the German indie Marina Records in October 2001.