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Two years ago, San Francisco’s French Cassettes stuffed their debut LP Gold Youth with more vocal hooks and guitar riffs than a field of teeth-gnashing Republican presidential hopefuls. The album’s tightly wound pop tunes, not to mention the group’s sure-footed live show, caught the ear of East Bay tastemaker Sarah Sexton, who featured the group’s “Right Talk” on the first iteration of her Oaktown Indie Mayhem compilation, released last month.

The compilation was co-produced by local engineer and industry veteran Jeff Saltzman, whose pop sensibilities, honed through collaborations with acts like Blondie and the Killers, shines throughout the compilation — and on “Right Talk” in particular.

I recently caught up with the group in Santa Cruz before a gig at the Catalyst for an interview-turned-sauna in their Hyundai. Listen below, and be sure to catch them at Brick and Mortar Music Hall on July 10.