Review Summary: Introduction to Post-rock 101
Post-rock has been one of my latest genre forays. It's style heavily focuses on instruments, seeking new and unconventional ways of playing and combining them, creating rich, hyper-detailed soundscapes often omitting vocals altogether. For listener like myself, accustomed to vocals in the majority of my music, this can potentially make the genre come across a little impenetrable. There is then perhaps no better entry point into the realms of post-rock than
Blackshape's latest EP -
Prismer I. Building on the breakout success of one particular single off the self-titled debut album,
Blackshape signal a potential growth towards a vocal inclusive style of their own.
The single in question is the quirkily titled
ITIIITIATIIHYLIHYL, an acronym of some the lyrics appearing in that song. Ten tracks deep is when Scott Shepard's vocals finally grace the listener on the debut album, and even so, in the latter half of the song. Maybe, like me, the lads in
Blackshape feel like Scott's voice is simply too exceptional to hide under a bushel any longer, maybe they enjoyed the breakthrough success it evidently brought the band and maybe it is just where they wish to go stylistically.
Whatever the case may be, Scott's vocals now appear on all three odd-numbered tracks of the six contained on
Prismer I, even if those on opener
Prelude are little more than an excerpt of the vocals from track three with some weird effects placed overtop . This development might be slightly against the conventional post-rock template, but I can hardly make a case against it. The addition of vocals offers listeners like myself something to easily attach to, bringing an encouraging familiarity upon relistens which afford the complex instrumental compositions time to sink in a little more with each listen. Scott's singing voice is something special, definitely leaning towards the higher pitches with an almost feminine edge to it. It shines brightly, starkly contrasting the crushing heaviness evoked by the musical atmosphere. His brightest appearance here is on the full length track
Like the Fourth Wall where his airy, easy delivery floats above the dramatics of the wailing guitars and virtuosic drumming. The lyrics calling out the desire for a truly unconditional love hit particularly hard. There is even a cheeky direct callback to that breakout vocal hit song which brought me to this band. In the final vocal appearance
Feels like Flying, Scott even shows off the ability to scream with great aptitude - yet another skill revealed. What else is this band hiding? Each vocal-containing track is separated by an instrumental one and there's much of note to be found there too.
The music on offer on all tracks whether vocal or instrumental is intensely heavy and atmospheric. The genre may be called post-rock, but everything here sounds very metal to my ear - I would struggle to differentiate between this and post-metal. Down tuned guitars, heavy guitar riffing with tailed notes. Complex and varied percussion. It is all sure to satisfy those who crave heaviness. There is an abundance of innovative playing happening at all times. The sound is so progressive and ever evolving that it creates at times the illusion that no single note is ever recycled . There is a richness and density to the playing which can be explained by the genre and band roots, where the instruments typically serve as the main attraction and the side-show all at once. I could go on at length describing what is exhibited instrumentally, but it is best experienced firsthand. Just know that you can expect exceptionally skilled performances on all fronts, where the instruments practically sing on their own, pulling on emotional strings and telling stories as easily as a great vocalist could.
One may expect that marrying such skillful musicianship with quality singing is a perfect union - and it absolutely is.
ITIIITIATIIHYLIHYL got me addicted to Scott's singing,
Prismer I offered me more opportunities to experience it, and in the process I have grown to truly appreciate the skill of the entire band and the sheer quality of their music. Now I speak
Blackshape like a second language, and was able to go back and fully appreciate the almost entirely instrumental debut album. By combining exceptional vocals and top tier musicianship,
Prismer I took what was a passing interest and kindled it into a flame of adoration. I can only hope they continue to pursue this stylistic path.
