Tortoise

Committed to a unique brand of excellence, Tortoise blissfully tweak their paradigm on the hypnotically eclectic Beacons of Ancestorship. As forefathers of contemporary instrumental indie rock, the Chicago five-piece unintentionally encapsulate their various stages over a single record. Hell, on the distorted groove of "High Class Slim Came Floatin' In" they practically get there in one epic song. While the block-rocking rhythms are a hallmark, Tortoise get juiced off of the electricity of crazed sounds too, such as Jeff Parker's rip-roaring guitar on "Prepare Your Coffin" or the M.I.A.-style synth and snare acrobatics of "Northern Something." Such hip-hop flavours (also see the grime-y "De Chelly") and the slink of "Minors" are somewhat expected but at this phase in their trajectory where does the gritty punk intensity of "Yinxianghechengqi" emanate from? Always a colourful beast, Tortoise explore their entire palette via the exhilarating twists and turns of Beacons of Ancestorship.