Albums

Oceansize - Effloresce

Alex Worsnip 02/12/2003

Rating: 4/5

Oceansize are one of the best new bands around, and their debut, Effloresce does not disappoint. Blending the post-rock of Mogwai with the prog-metal of Tool and Cave In and the electronics of Massive Attack, with a dash of Cooper Temple Clause thrown in, they present an intriguing cocktail of sounds. 'Catalyst' is a bold statement indeed: a riveting collection of unorthodox time signatures, a controlled chaos of metal riffery and a strong melodic core. Meanwhile 'One Day All This Could Be Yours' is a sinister Coopers-ish builder with a dirty bassline, monotonal hypnotised vocals, and a shimmering 3-guitar attack that builds from atmospherics to furious heaviosity, while 'Amputee', the closest to a straight-forward rock song (still not very close!) is a swirling, pleading and complexly produced rocker that evokes a torrent of furious wind in a night-time cityscape. 'Women Who Love Men Who Love Drugs' carries the post-rock torch brilliantly, and 'Long Forgotten' is a surprisingly touching, quieter closer with emotional sensitivity and some beautiful cello, yet still a vivid array of sounds and production. There are a couple of unnecessary instrumentals: 'Rinsed' and 'Unravel', which don't really merit being individual tracks in their own right, but the success rate here is staggering: each of the other tracks brings something unique and astounding. A fantastic, though difficult, debut.