sleepmakeswaves – …and so we destroyed everything
[08/21/12]
[Self Released]
Two decades after Australian instrumental post-rock gods, Dirty Three, commenced their trail blazing career, it seems as if instrumental music is finally gaining some momentum in this country as audiences re-awaken to the fact that vocals are not an essential gateway to musical accessibility and emotional engagement. In 2012, there were a number of interesting Australian instrumental releases, including from Kettlespider, Dumbsaint, and the Dirty Three themselves. However, of all the Australian bands now trying their hand at instrumental music, the one with the greatest resonance appears to be post-rockers sleepmakeswaves, who in 2012 issued a United States release of their Australian Record Industry Association Awards nominated debut album, …and so we destroyed everything. Consisting of four members only, sleepmakeswaves create surprisingly dense and layered soundscapes that are padded with electronics and suggestive of a larger complement of instruments, and evoke brightly vivid imagery such that the music has, at times, somewhat of a cinematic soundtrack quality…in a very good way! Furthermore, like most post-rock albums, …and so we destroyed everything relies heavily on build ups and starkly varied dynamics as a means by which to stimulate interest within the listener. However, the reasons, perhaps, why this album has such broad appeal are firstly that there is a noticeable Australian heavy progressive rock influence on the sleepmakeswaves sound, and secondly, that unlike many of the post-rock bands out there, sleepmakeswaves produce music that is wholly unpretentious. To the contrary, it is generally upbeat, rarely repetitive, produced well, and feels like a genuine attempt to create emotionally involving music, rather than an exercise in demonstrating how much more musically enlightened and intellectual the band is than everyone else. Have no doubt, sleepmakeswaves are a band on the move, and are a shining example of just how rocking and engaging instrumental music can be. – GS
4.5/5
7 Horns 7 Eyes
In Mourning
Sometimes guitarist/vocalist Tobias Netzell‘s breaks up his deep Mikael Åkerfeldt sounding growls and screams, allowing some vocal tone bleeding through, as in “For You To Know” and “A Shade of Plague”. I point this out because that type of scream sounds very raw and emotional and just seems satisfying. It doesn’t seem to happen enough. His singing is a little lackluster, but that isn’t where most of the meat is in any given track of the album anyway.
