Pivot

Pivot are one of those great omni-dexterous bands that are as much about the old school as the new. On the Australian trio’s Warp debut, O Soundtrack My Heart, the cosmic-sequencer bliss and progged-out calculation of the ’70s rubs right up against your modern-day glitches, blips, bleeps and digital manipulations — and all to some pretty stellar results. The band’s organic-electronic hybrid of math-y prog meets synth-driven Kraut and IDM is the type of thing you can easily get lost in, with dense arrangements twisting, turning and keeping you guessing. In a sense, it’s not all that far off from what label-mates Battles laid down with Mirrored, but with a distinctly more pop twist, a more European flavour, as opposed to American. On the down side, the Aussies’ instrumental grooves can feel a bit rigid, at times, opting for tight technical precision over air and relaxation. Nevertheless, O Soundtrack My Heart does scratch that itch for cerebral electro rock jams, setting the bar mighty high for Pivot’s follow-up.