Review Summary: There is a world out there, we’re too scared to look.
For those still unfamiliar with the Windmill scene, it has arguably become one of the most notable and unique music collectives to come along in quite a while. Centered around the Windmill Pub in Brixton, the venue has secured a legacy as a fermenting ground for artistic and experimental musicians who’s music channels the lamentations of an increasingly weary post-Brexit youth culture in the United Kingdom. Bands such as Cambridge’s Black Country, New Road and Brighton’s Squid have made the scene’s presence known to the world with their melding of genres from post-punk and post-rock to progressive rock and jazz.
While this peculiar marriage of the saxophonic punk stylings of James Chance and the Louisville sound of Slint has been exciting to say the least, it’s been over half a decade since the scene’s pre-pandemic beginnings and listeners have begun to notice signs of age. Still, it should not be discounted the fact that newer bands in the scene still manage to execute this “maximalist” wide range of styles skillfully with visceral attitude wrapped in delicate, artful sensibility. London’s The Orchestra (For Now) is no exception, packing enough chaotic instrumentation and honest emotion into their four track debut EP that would prove challenging for most bands to fit into a full-length album.
From the very beginning of “Plan 75”, the somber pluckings of the guitar preceding the equally morose string arrangements set the tone for the entire journey into the band’s life in modern London. “Escape From New York” weaves in and out of lightly hummed and spoken vocals over tense cymbal crashes and orchestral spiccatos. As the tempo changes, singer Joseph Scarisbrick’s intensity matches as his melancholic croons and belts turn to exasperated yells by the end of the track.
“Skins”, being my choice for the strongest track here, has a much smaller build up before exploding into a brawl of smashing piano, weaving strings and superb drumming. The concise arrangement of this track shows a nice contrast from light and bittersweet to boisterous and manic.
“The Strip” boasts itself as the most frenzied track of the four, showing a tremendous barrage of percussion complimented by Scarisbrick’s most impressive display of range on the EP. The vocalist’s quilted and somewhat enigmatic lyrics provide a fine foreground to push the tone of anxiety equal to that of the instrumentation. The crescendo of the track tapers into a brief interlude of piano before striking again with forceful exclamation.
The final and longest track of “Plan 75” is again ripe with trailer-esque buildup bridged by sections of intimately delivered vocals. The drums and piano take the stage on “Wake Robin,” dueling fits of jazzy aggression, bolstered by sharply delivered chops of strings, ultimately culminating in a sudden halt to end this 22 minute rollercoaster of emotion. Overall a very impressive debut from the band with much promise going forward.
Now there are some that would question the longevity of the Windmill’s brand of progressively artistic rock and would point out how much of it sounds too similar. After the better part of a decade could it be that the creative wheel of this scene is slowing its turn? Or, more likely, could it be we’re all just getting bored too easily? If the latter is true then we’re all feeling the same feeling that has fueled bands like The Orchestra (For Now) to craft such emotionally poignant music.
If we’re looking at “Plan 75” as an individual sound, to pack what feels like a full-length album’s excitement into a four song extended play is quite an impressive feat, especially from a band still so young into their collective career. Maybe in the context of the scene they’re in it might not seem like too far a step from their contemporaries, but compared to a scene that has crafted some of the most creative music over the past decade The Orchestra (For Now) still have so much to offer.
