“All hail skull.”
Drawing inspiration from 80s Art Rock and New Wave, several bands in the 90s fleshed out a dynamic, textured vision of instrumental rock music. Pioneers like the foreboding Godspeed You! Black Emperor, celestial Sigur Rós, melancholy Mogwai and euphoric Explosions in the Sky established the diverse genre known as post-rock. In the 00s a steady stream of bands emerged, defining the genre and solidifying its place in music history. Among these, sleepmakeswaves formed in 2006, the same year as the debut releases from the celebrated If These Trees Could Talk and This Will Destroy You.
Now, eighteen years on, sleepmakeswaves is a stalwart of the global post-rock scene. Layers of reverbed guitars in glistening crescendos shine with a crisp brilliance across their discography. In many ways, this fifth album draws from the same well, but with a punchier feel than many of their previous albums. With the chief exception of “Zelda”, the 2020 single, their previous record these are not your dreams consists of gradual, developed buildups that ebb and flow in grand climaxes and outros. But for half the tracks on It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It, the waves crash in quickly. A polished production and mix serves the record well, as the layers of djenty bass, distorted guitars and soaring synths are cleanly brought together with a lively elegance.
It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It can be split between the bombastic (“All Hail Skull”, “Super Realm Park”, “Ritual Control” and “Terror Future”) and the atmospheric (“Black Paradise”, title track, and “This Close Forever”), with an interlude (“Verdigris”). The opening track “All Hail Skull” is perhaps my favourite – crashing drums, bass fills and a soaring guitar-meets-synth hook. Synths aggressively propel “Super Realm Park” forward, and the lead single “Ritual Control” is similarly energetic.
A welcome contrast is provided by the gradual development of “Black Paradise”. Warm, peaceful pads in the “Verdigris” give way to “Terror Future”, a punchy number with vocals tastefully thrown into the mix. The title track embodies the quintessence of post-rock – two alternating chords in a prolonged guitar driven crescendo. Finally, “This Close Forever” is vintage sleepmakeswaves – two alternating guitar melodies that build towards a triumphant resolve.
All in all, this is a solid contribution to sleepmakeswaves’s catalog. No radical new ground is broken here, but the energy of this album distinguishes it as a standout effort for both the band and the scene. It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It radiates with the vibrant allure of polished post-rock.
7/10
It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It drops today and can be ordered here.