sleepmakeswaves

Review of Boris' Australian tour with support from Laura and sleepmakeswaves in Sydney - Sludge Factory

The AU Review catches up with sleepmakeswaves at SXSW 2012 to chat about the Aussie contingent, touring and their latest releases. - AU Review

Sydney natives, Sleepmakeswaves are about to take the next big step in their career. The instrumental rock group, formed in 2006, has already ticked off a convincing number of career achievements without so much as an album released. A small collection of independent EPs saw radio play on Triple J and even the BBC, with a commendable number of positive reviews online and devoted new fans at their shows.

Their latest collection of songs will be released as their first album proper, titled …And So We Destroyed Everything and without being too dramatic, the title rings true. The album is a massive leap forward for the band, leaving their metal influences for an equally melodic but drastically more accessible heavy-without-excluding-listeners-style of instrumental rock that doesn't continually fall into the same, entirely predictable, soft-loud-soft patterns that a number of post-rock bands use as their staple. The group didn't stray too far from their post-rock roots however, letting themselves choose poetic, lengthy track titles. We'll let that slide.

Album opener To You They Are Birds, To Me They Are Voices In The Forest steps forward quickly with a wall of sound. It is a rock track. Fast enough to not drag on, as well as rhythmically and melodically stimulating enough to not keep you wondering if they would be better with vocals. For essentially what is a home studio recording, it becomes apparent quite quickly that album producer Dax Liniere knows what he is doing.

The next track In Limbs and Joints provides a change. It's about half the length of the opener and finishes exactly when it needs to. It rolls into Our Time Is Short But Your Watch Is Slow perfectly. Track three is the first serious taste of this album's electronic influences. Glitchy drums and bubbling synths are paired against a glockenspiel melody and swelling guitars; it just works.

As the album rolls on, the group really showcase their musicianship. The eleven minute epic, A Gaze Blank and Pitiless As The Sun, lets each member of the band show off their chops, without the song being a mere showcase for said chops. Straight after this epic the band does something equally as impressive; they show restrain.

The album stands up strongly for an independent debut. You can expect continued support from Triple J and for the international support slots to continue rolling. There can be little doubt that Australia is about to see its first post-rock export in a number of years. - The Music Network

With the pleasing news that tonight’s show had sold out, it was only two weeks ago that a second, earlier show was announced for Russian Circles’ Sydney visit. Fans who bought tickets were treated to support from Sydney post-rock heroes sleepmakeswaves and tour promoter Rober MacManus with a rare solo set.

Opening proceedings, MacManus brought the drone with a wash of guitar noise. There was plenty of ebb and flow and thankfully he opted for the more guitar-like tones, rather than the abrasive screech many other solo noise acts prefer. It wasn’t particularly mind-blowing, but it was an interesting and tasteful performance.

Locals sleepmakeswaves were a late and much-appreciated addition to the bill, but were clearly pleased to be sharing a stage with the Chicago trio. They wasted no time in delivering a top-quality performance, with soaring melodic flourishes atop devastating crescendos. The appeal has always been in the details for sleepmakeswaves – they rock as hard as anyone else, but bring with them an array of hooks, unique arrangements and carefully constructed songwriting. They set the bar high this afternoon, and, appropriately, appeared to do some fine business at the merch stand. The band is blowing up around the world with their debut album and it was a pleasure to catch them in such an intimate setting.

Russian Circles took a similar no-nonsense approach to the stage. The music spoke for itself – as soon as the massive wall of sound hit, their riffs saw punters’ heads swaying and arms in the air. Whilst heavy enough to appeal to the metal crowd, their versatility was on display, with lilting soundscapes appearing mid set and plenty of guitar, bass and drum interplay. Like sleepmakeswaves, they rocked hard – and whilst without the intricate detail, they more than made up for it with bone-crushing heavy. Also, unlike the majority of the post-rock/post-metal scene cliches, they opted for the sudden blast of climactic proportions, rather than the slow build. It was all instant gratification with Russian Circles – and gratify they did. Let’s hope they return soon; line-ups like this are to be cherished. - Music Feeds

With the pleasing news that tonight’s show had sold out, it was only two weeks ago that a second, earlier show was announced for Russian Circles’ Sydney visit. Fans who bought tickets were treated to support from Sydney post-rock heroes sleepmakeswaves and tour promoter Rober MacManus with a rare solo set.

Opening proceedings, MacManus brought the drone with a wash of guitar noise. There was plenty of ebb and flow and thankfully he opted for the more guitar-like tones, rather than the abrasive screech many other solo noise acts prefer. It wasn’t particularly mind-blowing, but it was an interesting and tasteful performance.

Locals sleepmakeswaves were a late and much-appreciated addition to the bill, but were clearly pleased to be sharing a stage with the Chicago trio. They wasted no time in delivering a top-quality performance, with soaring melodic flourishes atop devastating crescendos. The appeal has always been in the details for sleepmakeswaves – they rock as hard as anyone else, but bring with them an array of hooks, unique arrangements and carefully constructed songwriting. They set the bar high this afternoon, and, appropriately, appeared to do some fine business at the merch stand. The band is blowing up around the world with their debut album and it was a pleasure to catch them in such an intimate setting.

Russian Circles took a similar no-nonsense approach to the stage. The music spoke for itself – as soon as the massive wall of sound hit, their riffs saw punters’ heads swaying and arms in the air. Whilst heavy enough to appeal to the metal crowd, their versatility was on display, with lilting soundscapes appearing mid set and plenty of guitar, bass and drum interplay. Like sleepmakeswaves, they rocked hard – and whilst without the intricate detail, they more than made up for it with bone-crushing heavy. Also, unlike the majority of the post-rock/post-metal scene cliches, they opted for the sudden blast of climactic proportions, rather than the slow build. It was all instant gratification with Russian Circles – and gratify they did. Let’s hope they return soon; line-ups like this are to be cherished. - Music Feeds