When Northwestern University radio-TV-film alum Alex Moulton makes music, he keeps visuals in mind. So, it's fitting that his action-packed debut album, Exodus, is actually a romantic concept album that features stunning cover artwork by fantasy-art legend Boris Vallejo that portrays bodacious, near-naked lovers flying toward a spaceship hovering over an exploding metropolis.

"As depicted on the case, it's essentially a love story but very much a sci-fi adventure," he says. Beyond that, details are scarce. He says he hopes listeners will create their own story.

Released on Moulton's own Expansion Team Records, the epic collection revisits '80s rock and '70s disco: "The Sacrifice," a twist of hot tribal and organic sounds drizzled with sexy percussion, flows and chugs sweetly. "Vicious" blurs the lines between progressive house and tech-house, rocking with its hypnotic beats while keeping the funk twitching in the red zone. "Pandemonium" whips up bold, bangin' percussion for primetime body movement while "Together" soothes with swooping soundscapes. The potent synths on "Meridians" seep into your head.

Brooklyn-based Moulton specializes in combining sound and visuals. The DJ and executive producer of seven albums has directed videos for electro hit maker Tiga, scored the 2007 film Descent featuring Rosario Dawson and handled music production of more than 300 commercials and network themes.

Inspired by the music of Daft Punk, Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre, Moulton spent four years working on Exodus. He says he wanted to tap into the naivete of his favorite '70s sci-fi films as well as the synth-laden music of the early '80s. The challenge was to channel both into rhythms that feel right on today's dance floor. With a film in his head, Moulton even wrote music to segue from song to song, making Exodus play continuously like a DJ set or soundtrack.

Exodus is more of a true musical collaboration than modern digital creation. Daniel Correa (of New York-based Colombian fusion band Samurindo) plays drums and percussion on many tracks, and Groove Collectives's Jonathan Maron delivers wah bass on the catchy, disco-tinged "Meridians."

The result is a breathtaking, 70-minute album with an infectious verve throughout. The mostly dance floor-friendly tracks created from rich, warm, analog synths and the satisfying grooves of live drums flow seamlessly into each other. Moulton plans to release the Exodus story in serialized written form via music distribution group Coalition of Artists and Stake Holders. And the producer, who caught the DJ bug (for funk and rare groove) from WNUR DJ Rosie Ciparick, will hype Exodus with live laptop gigs and DJ sets—everything from old disco to noise to Justice and '70s funk. Freed from the studio, he's planning to spend a bit more time DJing and less behind the mixing board: "I can't deny I love this side of business."

Exodus is out now on Expansion Team Records.