This release by Sleepmakeswaves was originally three separate Eps, but they decided to make it the fourth album for the Australian outfit. They are mostly a post-rock band, but manage to imbue it with something that is a little more progressive. This makes the music quite colourful and often exuberant, mingling with crushing heaviness and some delicate joyful playing. The key aspect of the album is its shifting face, at one moment it can be a grinding powerfulness, at others something more thoughtful and harmonious.
The music is for the most part instrumental, and the vocal parts on four of the tracks bring in another dynamic. Each of the three musicians are given the chance to shine, but it is the interactions of the players that is the most intriguing. There is a jamming element to the sound too, and whilst that can be a good thing it can often drift into a little showing off. Thankfully, there is little of that on this release. The music can be a little uneven though, and become unfocussed.
The band has been around four about twelve years and has inevitably been through some changes but have been settled for a little while now. The band’s website states; “The band came together in late 2006 with a desire to write textured, dynamic and emotive songs combining delicate beauty with dramatic climaxes” and it has certainly achieved that on this release.
EP 1: No Safe Place
01. The Endings That We Write (11:27)
02. Batavia (4:56)
03. Time Wants A Skeleton (4:35)
04. Cascades (5:50)
EP 2: Out of Hours
05. Pyramids (8:06)
06. Zelda (5:31)
07. Menthol (4:04)
08. Embraced (6:14)
EP 3: Not an Exit
09. Mind Palace (3:14)
10. Serenity Now (4:40)
11. Lowfi Nylon (3:33)
12. These Are Not Your Dreams (6:55)
Alex Wilson – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Piano
Otto Wicks-Green – Guitar, Vocals
Tim Adderley – Drums
Release date: 17th August 2020
Label: Bird’s Robe Records
Spirit of Progressive Rock 