Cheval de Frise

The post-rock genre does not breathe as deeply now as it did in the mid- to late ’90s, but neither does it appear to be going the way of all flesh. French instrumental duo Cheval de Frise inhabit this endangered genre quite stylishly, using acoustic guitar and drums to crunch time signatures and melodies into odd angles. Vincent Beysselance and Thomas Bonvalet make a sound that could be heard as a missing link between Bastro and Gastr Del Sol — complex and aggressive, but at times sweet and delicate. Their interplay is compact and jagged, only occasionally slowing to set up the next barrage of locking rhythms like a mariachi band gone feral. It may not bring about a Slint reunion tour, but this album may satisfy the fans patiently waiting for the day.