Post-rock? My arse. This big bold imaginative record is out and out prog. Unusual time signatures? Check. Instrumental virtuosity? Check. Lengthy forays into thumb-nodding jazz? Check? Songs called "Andromeda" "On the mountain path" and "100 Milion Rainbows"? Check, check and check. This record couldnt be more prog if Tony Levin nosed into the recording session with a Chapman Stick and a Persian rug.
This is not a bad thing. If post-rock traditionally employs the use of rock music instruments for non rock purposes "Illumination" is definately, defiantly rockist. The opening guitar salvo on "100 Million Suns" is pure widdly and partnered as it is with one finger Depeche Mode synth and cymbal splashed metal drumming you can start to see how how heavy Lite are; how greedily they consume. Arcing "Dif Juz" guitars are thrown up like constructivist architecture over tense and densely knitted guitars, the drums breathlessly pushing forward. It is relentless, it is thrilling and it sounds extraordinary.
"The Sun Sank" opens with ravey- davey synths, stuttering "Oh Mickey" drums and then delequesces into a sea of delay and duelling synth/guitar riffs. Opener "Drops" is a scant minute of ticking electronics and Petomanish squelches. Best of all is "Andromeda" which is stealthy Laurie Johnson incidental music with a spacey chorale teetering over the jazzy production and "Tomato" which takes Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew out disco-dancing.
"illuminate" is massive in intent, devilish in its detail and saturated with colour. And it rocks!
www.transductionrecords.com
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