There comes a point in the career of any great band when they produce something monumental, something on which their whole career comes to be judged. It may not objectively be their best record, or even their most well received, but in time it becomes the most important moment in a discography, the moment that eclipses petty fan gripes or over-zealous enthusiasm.
With ‘Wild Light’, their fifth studio album proper, Sheffield quartet 65daysofstatic have not only produced a record that’s immensely enjoyable, but also one that superbly melds together almost every aspect of the sound that the band has cultivated over the last 12 years. From the jittery, but alluring, ‘The Fall of Math’ to the piano-led exquisiteness of Radio Protector and the dance beats of ‘We Were Exploding Anyway’, it’s all here somewhere.
Layered in a fashion that recalls, but outdoes, 2007’s slightly over-produced ‘The Destruction of Small Ideals’, ‘Wild Light’ is a record brimming with ideas right from the outset.
Opener Heat Death Infinity Splitter moves from rousing vocal samples through space age synths and tribal drumming before collapsing in on itself in an explosion of searing noise.
Its follow-up, Prisms, meanwhile, starts like a classic Autechre song and ends in territory closer to “traditional” well-honed post-Mogwai rock.
Of course, the devil is in the detail with many a great instrumental record and ‘Wild Light’ provides plenty of, at first unnoticeable, gold throughout its duration. It takes a while to realise just how great the bass line is in Sleepwalk City, or quite how perfectly-judged the sudden drop is in Unmake The Wild Light. It isn’t an obtuse record, not by any stretch, but there is real, highly significant, depth to each composition.
The trump card though is just how brilliant ‘Wild Light’ sounds. The production is positively addictive. Every nuance here is so well polished that it’s a joy to the ears. Furthermore, with each and every track having its own distinctive hooks and, more importantly, its own distinctive feeling, there is no let-up in quality.
It’s hard to pick highlights because everything is so well done and, as with all the best instrumental bands, the results are wonderfully emotive. From the epic “on top of the world” feeling conjured up by Blackspots to the glorious, relaxing summer breeze of Taipei, each song soundtracks a different series of images, memories, or dreams.
If any criticisms are to be made of ‘Wild Light’ then they will revolve around 65daysofstatic doing nothing revolutionary here. But, sometimes, artists really don’t have to. Doing anything as well as 65daysofstatic do electronic post-rock is more than enough of an achievement for any band. In a word? Stunning.
65daysofstatic UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows
Sun September 22nd 2013 - EDINBURGH Liquid Room
Mon September 23rd 2013 - MANCHESTER Sound Control
Tue September 24th 2013 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
Wed September 25th 2013 - LONDON Scala
Thu September 26th 2013 - BRISTOL Thekla
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