Album: bdrmm - Microtonic

Microtonic comes into focus on its third track, “Infinity Peaking.” Album opener “Goit,” featuring a guest vocal by Working Men’s Club’s Syd Minsky-Sargeant, is doomy post-Balearic impressionism with spoken lyrics seemingly about the loss of self. Next, the distant-sounding rave-shoegazing hybrid “John on the Ceiling.” “Infinity Peaking” is the point of coalescence; where beats-bedded, drifting electronica is suited to the comedown experience.

After this, bdrmm’s third album – their second for Mogwai’s Rock Action label – settles into developing the marriage of Seefeel-esque post-rock electronica and shoegazing which initially emerged on its predecessor, 2023’s I Don’t Know. Now, there is a greater emphasis on atmosphere and rhythm, with the band’s early influence of Ride’s more abstract moments almost totally excised – though, along these lines, fifth track “In the Electric Field” (with a guest vocal from Olivesque, mainstay of Manchester’s Nightbus) does edge towards Slowdive were they recast from a trip-hop perspective.

While Hull quartet bdrmm are reaching out for like-minded collaborators, the further steps taken into dance-inflected territory imply Connor Murray, Jordan Smith, Ryan Smith and Joe Vickers are sloughing-off the identity of being a band which performs on stage before an audience and easing into making music where the creator and performer is less of a focus: the effect of the music has become the more important aspect. They haven’t yet turned into DJs, but the Balearic/rave undercurrents suggest they’d be happy to be faceless or, at least, barely visible in a live setting. Emphasising atmosphere and rhythm over melody further stresses this.

Consequently, the digitally constructed Microtonic – each track was built up piece-by-piece, by remotely sending audio files back and forth between each band member and producer Alex Greaves – is more suited to performance or playback in a communal setting than home listening.

• More New Music reviews on theartsdesk
• Kieron Tyler’s website

@kierontyler.bsky.social