BEAK> – >>>> | soundsfromthedarkside

BEAK_FRONT Behold, this year’s best album cover has just been unveiled.

Emerging from Bristol’s vibrant music scene, Beak> is famed for their blend of experimental rock, krautrock, and post-punk. Formed in 2009 by Geoff Barrow, Billy Fuller, and Matt Williams (who now is replaced by Will Young), the trio brings together a wealth of musical experience, with Barrow, a founding member of Portishead, as the band’s frontrunner.

Characterized by their minimalist and hypnotic soundscapes, Beak> draws inspiration from krautrock monoliths Can and Neu!. With a back catalogue that includes critically acclaimed albums such as their self-titled debut and subsequent releases >> and >>>, Beak> continues to push boundaries with a surprise release that carries the title >>>>. Now prepare to be immersed in Beak>’s enigmatic world filled with lots of uneasy listening.

Recorded across rural Wales and Bristol, the latest Beak> emerges as a bold statement, challenging its audience to embrace its unpredictable rhythms or step aside. At the heart of the album lies a profound sense of Beak>’s mastery of krautrock rhythms, analog synth explorations, and droning psych-pop melodies that seamlessly blend into new and tangible ideas about music.

The journey begins with Strawberry Line, where mournful church keys set a sober tone that seemingly takes minutes before Barrow’s vocals slowly come into play. In a clean 8 minutes the emotional hymnal progresses into an almost blunt rhythmic synth anthem. Beak> is at its best when these progressions are at their high and on Strawberry Line they showcase a slow approach to their methods. It’s a microcosm for other explorations we hear on the rest of the album, although most other tracks aren’t as slow burner like this one. Tracks such as for example Windmill Hill and Hungry Are We are songs on their own as the first offers a strange hypnotic boogie and the latter brings an introspective meditation. So keep in mind that a trip with Beak> is a trip full of surprises for better or for worse.

While previous work was playful this latest release offers a more unfiltered exploration of sound and emotion. The Seal’s urgent drumming and warped synths keeps you on your toes but at the same time is made as an ode to the heyday of krautrock. The reverberating beginnings of Bloody Miles strongly remind of Colleen but take an unexpected turn at the half as Barrow intervenes backed up by a groovy beat. Beak> ends things with a heavy heart on Cellophane. Here we are plunged into deep atmospheric layers of synths and guitar riffs as we heard before on Portishead’s unsettling Third (2008).

>>>> demands attention, as it weaves its way through cavernous depths and expansive soundscapes. As Beak> doesn’t sit still the album can feel inconsistent at times but if you’re able to put in the time and perceive it as a journey of rhythm, thought and soul it will converge into something unique.

Label: Temporary Residence, 2024

Buy it here: https://www.temporaryresidence.com/collections/shop/products/trr437

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