Revered early-‘00s New York rockers the Strokes surprised fans by releasing a new song today (January 25), “One Way Trigger,” offering it as a free download on the band’s official website.  

Bearing little resemblance to the band’s spiky, angular hits like “Hard to Explain” and “Juicebox,” the new song features a jaunty synthesizer riff and unexpectedly light, falsetto vocals from the band’s singer Julian Casablancas. Closer in tenor to Casablanca’s 2009 solo album, Phrazes for the Young, “One Way Trigger” eschews the Strokes’ trademark downtown grit for something much catchier and poppy, especially considering the song’s main melody striking a strong resemblance to A-Ha’s ‘80s smash hit, “Take on Me.”

The song is the first new music from the Strokes since the release of 2011 full-length Angles, which peaked at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Album charts, hitting #1 in the Alternative and Rock categories.

There are still no indications from the band if and when they plan on releasing a new full-length album, although rumors have been swirling that it will see the light of day before the end of 2013.

-Scott T. Sterling, CBS Local