Challenger EP

The one thing that has always set Canyons Of Static apart from the horde of Mogwai worshippers that dominates the instrumental post-rock scene is melody. Whereas most bands in the field settle on a repetitive theme and add layers of guitar, distortion, and volume until the needles are buried, this Wisconsin group has hooks and isn’t afraid to use them. The new, four-song Challenger EP is a departure in this sense. It sacrifices accessibility for atmosphere, but still avoids cliché.

It’s true that many of the individual keyboard and guitar parts on the EP are somewhat unimaginative—they sound like plenty of other Radiohead-meets-My Bloody Valentine riffs listeners have heard before. The interesting part, however, is how Canyons arrive at the requisite peaks of sonic intensity. There are alternately creepy and soothing ambient passages at the beginnings of the songs that don’t necessarily give anything away. Then, rather than the typical slow-burn, “Columns” hits listeners quickly and decisively, while the title track builds methodically to a harrowing theme, and then maintains it at a breaking-point level until the natural denouement.

On these louder tunes, drummer Nathan Gaffney is the key. The eclecticism and force of his sticks almost make the rhythms catchy in themselves, but he isn’t the driving force on the last two tracks. “Worn” is an arrhythmic, nebulous soundscape that sounds like it could have been improvised on the spot, while “The Calm” is the record’s real gem. The warm waves of electronics are slow to solidify, and they’re only briefly recognizable as a song before dissolving again, but the effect is like a reflection gradually coming into focus on the surface of a lake before another ripple distorts it. The band has found another rewarding route through tension and release, without the need for noise.

Listen to Challenger EP here.