Adding odd meters and angular riffs to indie rock is like sprinkling chilli on your chocolate ice cream. Conceptually, it seems problematic; they are simply different elements. But, when blended well, it’s a delectable and slightly bewildering sensory experience.
There’s been some great results through time: Shudder To Think, Polvo, Chavez, and more recently tricot and Delta Sleep. The jangly, low-to-the-ground nature of the rock music is met with the knotty and jagged instrumentation pertinent to jazz and prog.
This little realm is where Sleep Tactics lives. The Philly trio comprises players from a string of other local acts: Dan Smith (Low Dose, Fight Amp), drummer Matt Weber (The Ages, Young Statues) and bassist Josh Taylor. The band are set to release their debut self-titled LP in August, an album that we are more than happy to get behind this week. Their debut is a well-rounded mix of indie, shoegaze and math rock, and is a beautiful journey throughout; from its reverberating opener ‘Significance Theme’ to its slow-burning closer ‘No Insight (for the kids)’.
The deliciously discordant first offering from Sleep Tactics deserves to be up there with the Ghost City‘s, the First American Friends, the Animals. Its complexity is balanced with its gorgeous vocal and instrumental hooks; it transcends the rock tropes and yet offers what we are hungry for. Chilli choc ice cream.
Sleep Tactics’ self-titled debut is out on Friday (9/8). You can pre-order the album over at their Bandcamp page. Don’t drag your feet on this one.