It's been more than a year, since Alt-J burst out onto the indie rock scene, with their genre-defying, work of art titled An Awesome Wave, and having given it a listen this past week, I can easily put this down as one of the best albums I've heard.
Much like a lot of people, I was trying to wrap my head around the stuttering ebb and flow, and the melancholic themes that the band explores. But on listening to the album as a whole, I think I finally understood the creative brilliance behind this piece.
The first track, aptly titled 'Intro', sets the mood for an unpredictable ride ahead with some smart basslines, and the rhythmic tickling of the piano.
Tessellate is the most satiable, smooth track, but Breezeblocks stays in your head for the dark, plucky tones apart from the inexplicable lyrics to go with it. It's an absolute beast of a track, which is just layered beautifully.
Something good and Dissolve Me fill you up with all things dreamy, and leave an impression of a band which isn't trying to be too experimental, but measured in their work. Matilda is an easy listening, sedative track which I liked as well. Ditto with Ms, which is almost Sigur Ros-like with the nasal falsetto, and the stuttering nature of the song. Alt-J probably have a hundred musical influences, but they really carve a niche for themselves with this.
Taro comes along, and you really get taken to a place with the haunting vocals, meandering flow which gets accentuated by the use of a mandolin-esque riff, which you'd normally hear in Indian folk music. Almost makes you want to watch them live now.
Fitzpleasure is a scatterbrain track, with dub step influences, and the rhythmic, light monosyllabic chorus is nicely balanced with powerful lead vocals. Quite liked this part.
Once you're done listening to this gem, you can't help but feel the charged emotion driving the album, camouflaged by the experimentative, diverse style for first timers who come in a category succeeding the likes of Radiohead.
It's bold, melancholic, progressive and the most interesting album I've heard in a while.
Triangles, are really my favourite shape. 😀
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