Three years ago, mysterious Finnish shoegaze maestros Kairon; IRSE! cropped up on Bandcamp with an irresistible debut album of intricate noise rock that quickly won them glowing critical acclaim. Since then, they've honed their compositional skills, embracing an eclectic array of influences and sounds. On their sophomore LP, Ruination, gnarled instrumentation and virtuosic musical ideas highlight sprawling song structures and captivating melodies, to great effect.
Without sacrificing any of the unfettered experimentation that made their first record so enticing, Kairon; IRSE! have adopted the soft edges and kaleidoscopic tones of early '70s psychedelic rock. Extra-terrestrial synth textures and screeches of saxophone pinball across the mix without warning, as tempos switch abruptly only to double back on themselves.
The opening suite of "Sinister Waters" parts one and two sounds like the impossibly wild Tame Impala record we always wanted Kevin Parker to make, while the quick, dreamy pop number "Llullaillaco" evokes Isn't Anything-era My Bloody Valentine. "Starik" moves through a number of fuzzy bass motifs and interlocking guitar arpeggios before rebounding into a quietly forceful crescendo.
The band's ambitious progressive sensibility pushes many of these songs over the seven-minute mark, but they never lose focus or intrigue. The slow-burning, David Gilmour-esque title track brings the record to a graceful conclusion, and offers a welcome reprieve from the chaos. Despite all its complexities and sonic details, Ruination is a remarkably easy listen, and will likely serve as an inspiration to those enamoured with the otherworldly sounds of the past.
(Svart)Without sacrificing any of the unfettered experimentation that made their first record so enticing, Kairon; IRSE! have adopted the soft edges and kaleidoscopic tones of early '70s psychedelic rock. Extra-terrestrial synth textures and screeches of saxophone pinball across the mix without warning, as tempos switch abruptly only to double back on themselves.
The opening suite of "Sinister Waters" parts one and two sounds like the impossibly wild Tame Impala record we always wanted Kevin Parker to make, while the quick, dreamy pop number "Llullaillaco" evokes Isn't Anything-era My Bloody Valentine. "Starik" moves through a number of fuzzy bass motifs and interlocking guitar arpeggios before rebounding into a quietly forceful crescendo.
The band's ambitious progressive sensibility pushes many of these songs over the seven-minute mark, but they never lose focus or intrigue. The slow-burning, David Gilmour-esque title track brings the record to a graceful conclusion, and offers a welcome reprieve from the chaos. Despite all its complexities and sonic details, Ruination is a remarkably easy listen, and will likely serve as an inspiration to those enamoured with the otherworldly sounds of the past.
