Ostinato Chasing the Form
Exile on Mainstream Records EOM022 July 4th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Once in a great while, an album will come out of nowhere from a band youve never even heard of and impress beyond belief. Chasing the Form is that kind of record. Crafted by Virginian three-piece Ostinato, the dynamic follow-up to Left Too Far Behind will be greeted with open arms by those whove shown any sort of excitement during the recent influx of instrumental post-rock, which has been surprisingly gratifying considering the vast number of bands the scene holds. There is, evidently, no room for the subpar.
Still, though much of Chasing the Form is indeed instrumental, the trio do include vocals from time to time. And in addition to guitar, bass, and drums, Ostinato incorporate violin, cello, cornet, and several other instruments in order to achieve a sound that cant quite be pinned down by one, single phrase. The eight-minute Goal of All Believers has both an indie rock feel due to the dreamy vocals barely above whispers and a post-rock predilection. The groups name encapsulates a fair amount of their material since it often hinges on repetition, but rather than numbing the listener to the point of boredom, the repeated phrases intoxicate to the point of grin-littered enthrallment. Monkey Gestures is an example of the former. Relying on an upbeat tempo coupled with Russian Circles-esque energy the song stands on its own, yet winds down so that Antiaircraft can make a laidback entrance. Perhaps my favorite of the lot, Antiaircraft features noticeable bass lines, occasional guitar splashes, and sturdy drumbeats before hoofing it to the ambient soundscape that is the 2:45 minute mark and onward. The brass interjections will remind some of Kayo Dot, others of The Mass, others of Yakuza, and others of Lesser Known Saint. At any rate, its a daring move for a band focused on reiteration. Opeth-like melodies riddle the opening of The Art of Vanishing, which precede the crashing of Neurosis waves still resonating even a decade after Through Silver in Blood first broke against international shores. The pace does slow down intermittently, and Volant is the epitome of a relaxed tune, which inadvertently touches on numerous Chroma Key elements and could easily blend in with the songs on You Go Now.
Simply put, Chasing the Form is a rewarding 50 minutes multifarious though not distractingly complex. Ostinato are the culmination of indie rock and post rock, coming out of nowhere, but surely going somewhere. The only drawback is that occasionally the compositions seem too dissimilar from one another to be part of a cohesive whole. For some, however, that may just be the allure.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Ostinato Website
Official Exile on Mainstream Records Website
Exile on Mainstream Records EOM022 July 4th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Once in a great while, an album will come out of nowhere from a band youve never even heard of and impress beyond belief. Chasing the Form is that kind of record. Crafted by Virginian three-piece Ostinato, the dynamic follow-up to Left Too Far Behind will be greeted with open arms by those whove shown any sort of excitement during the recent influx of instrumental post-rock, which has been surprisingly gratifying considering the vast number of bands the scene holds. There is, evidently, no room for the subpar.
Still, though much of Chasing the Form is indeed instrumental, the trio do include vocals from time to time. And in addition to guitar, bass, and drums, Ostinato incorporate violin, cello, cornet, and several other instruments in order to achieve a sound that cant quite be pinned down by one, single phrase. The eight-minute Goal of All Believers has both an indie rock feel due to the dreamy vocals barely above whispers and a post-rock predilection. The groups name encapsulates a fair amount of their material since it often hinges on repetition, but rather than numbing the listener to the point of boredom, the repeated phrases intoxicate to the point of grin-littered enthrallment. Monkey Gestures is an example of the former. Relying on an upbeat tempo coupled with Russian Circles-esque energy the song stands on its own, yet winds down so that Antiaircraft can make a laidback entrance. Perhaps my favorite of the lot, Antiaircraft features noticeable bass lines, occasional guitar splashes, and sturdy drumbeats before hoofing it to the ambient soundscape that is the 2:45 minute mark and onward. The brass interjections will remind some of Kayo Dot, others of The Mass, others of Yakuza, and others of Lesser Known Saint. At any rate, its a daring move for a band focused on reiteration. Opeth-like melodies riddle the opening of The Art of Vanishing, which precede the crashing of Neurosis waves still resonating even a decade after Through Silver in Blood first broke against international shores. The pace does slow down intermittently, and Volant is the epitome of a relaxed tune, which inadvertently touches on numerous Chroma Key elements and could easily blend in with the songs on You Go Now.
Simply put, Chasing the Form is a rewarding 50 minutes multifarious though not distractingly complex. Ostinato are the culmination of indie rock and post rock, coming out of nowhere, but surely going somewhere. The only drawback is that occasionally the compositions seem too dissimilar from one another to be part of a cohesive whole. For some, however, that may just be the allure.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Ostinato Website
Official Exile on Mainstream Records Website
