Catchy experimentalism

Pitchfork called it post-rock because it's on Thrill Jockey, but it has more in common with Pan Sonic than Tortoise. Imagine Pan Sonic in one of their mid-volume moods - not too silent or too screechy - laying down electronic textures and improvising along with a crafty drummer and bassist. I think it's the best release of the year, catchy and clever and interesting. It holds up well on repeat listening. Download track four if you have any doubts.

Vienna’s Radian continue with layers of electronics and instrumentation on their third release, Juxtaposition, out on Thrill Jockey Records. Radian recorded all of the electronic tracks in Vienna before bringing their set-up to Chicago to finish various tracking with the aid of John McEntire at Soma Studios, an influence at the deck that shines through on Juxtaposition. Delicate grooves reveal themselves on tracks like “Vertigo” and “Helix,” stretching waves of bass tones, percussion and electronics that build on one another. Scratchy stretches of noise layered on top of the focused instrumentation of bass, guitar and drums create subtle melodies that lie underneath tracks like “Transistor” and “Tester.” The influence of Tortoise is not to go unnoted here, but an influence that many may have been forgotten with Tortoise’s debut — longer, atmospheric tracks of tinny percussion on top of slow, drawn-out basslines and sprinkles of vibraphone that are definite highlights on Radian tracks “Ontario” and “Nord.” Radian created a record that listeners have to let envelope them slowly — and, if patient enough, Juxtaposition will reveal treasures from an aural dig that are a wonderful, satisfying surprise. – David Serra