Since their 2004 debut, The Fall of Math, Sheffield post-rock outfit
65daysofstatic have edged further and further into the realms of electronic music, supplementing their engulfing melodies and guitar work with synths, loops, and pulsing beats as their sound has expanded. Here on their sixth release,
Wild Light, the band bring together these different elements seamlessly, and produce an album of epic proportions that combines meticulously arranged cinematic soundscapes with textured electronics. The emotive power of this record is driven by the flourishing guitars and in "Blackspots," they build perfectly into a restrained explosion of melodic hooks, providing a cathartic conclusion to the song. Their musicianship is evident throughout the record and they excel when the textured, scuzzy synths provide urgency and grit to songs like "Prisms," while allowing the guitars to play an ambient, melodic role. In among the burgeoning peaks sit slow-burning numbers like "The Undertow" and "Taipei," which provide breathers amid swelling pianos and give way to a timely moment of reflection between some of the record's more intense moments. The conclusion is typical of
65daysofstatic. Ending on "Safe Passage," the track gradually grows from roaming synths into a climax of drums, guitars, and noise before splitting into fragments as the last gasp of energy is finally expended and fades into silence.
65daysofstatic have constructed a dynamic album that embodies an array of emotions and flickers with both the raw intensity of their guitar-driven early work and the sonic intricacies of 2010's We Were Exploding Anyway with great effect. This is an ambitious, cohesive effort from the Sheffield band, and its complex and spacious sound is both beautifully engaging and highly rewarding. ~ Scott Kerr