With Isis firmly relegated to the annals of history, the post-rock scene has undergone a diminishing of its previously expansive borders. Whilst that is not necessarily a bad thing; the once underground genre having become far too visible for its own good; it has left a wide open void, into which When Icarus Falls have neatly stepped. Formed in 2007 in Lausanne, Switzerland, the five piece have produced two EPs to date – 2009’s ‘over the frozen seas’ and 2012’s ‘Aegean’ – and here they return with a third, the stunningly evocative ‘circles’, a four track exploration of ethereal riffs, tribal rhythms and white-hot, post-hardcore vocals.
With only four tracks on offer (three tracks form the actual EP whilst a fourth, ‘NYX’, is a bonus track) the EP still manages to hit the half hour mark, with each track proving to be a lengthy exploration of cyclical riffs and somnambulant wonder, where reality is tinged in sepia and the landscape undulates as imagination tears through the fabric of understanding. Musically the EP draws from the mid-period of Isis, the shimmering leads of ‘Erechtheion’ recalling a style that Isis employed to great effect on their masterpiece, ‘oceanic’, whilst the vocals, wrenched from the throat of Diego Mediano, veer closer to Botch’s undulating assault on the senses, ‘an anthology of dead ends’. The band are far more than just a giddy retread of post-rock’s highlights, however. A prolonged ambient mid-section, kept alive by a tribal heartbeat courtesy of restrained drummer Xavier Gigandet, recalls the dark mysticism of Sunn 0))) whilst a coruscating crescendo that sees the guitars pour molten riffs over Xavier’s ever-more agitated beat draws the song to a suitably explosive conclusion. ‘The great North’ opens with Diego unleashing a roar that is beautifully juxtaposed by the tranquil quality of the music. It’s an approach that should sound disparate and yet as the guitars weave their invisible webs of silk around the listener, so the result feels right, the hypnotic pulse leading to a dreamscape within which Diego gives vent a rage that is instantly soothed by the warm balm of the music. As the song progresses and Xavier’s keyboards slowly rise in the mix, a sense of utter calm descends and you’re left in the eye of a storm, the rest of the world rages around you as you, alone, stand in awe at the eerie heart of the chaos. The final track of the EP is the bewitching and aptly named ‘celestial bodies’ which opens with the subtle probing of Yann Cottier and Luis Cordeiro’s guitars, the lines neatly twisting around one another, creating a soundscape that slowly evolves into a hulking beast of white hot riffs and churning bass that draws the listener in and never lets go. The bonus track, ‘NYX’, is, perhaps, even better, arising out of an eerie swirl of noise to cut loose with a ferocity that will leave you gasping. Huge blasts of percussive might tumble past the listener like boulders upon an unstable mountaintop, whilst the guitars churn and broil like the seething pit at the bass of a waterfall. It’s a monumental, towering track that soars majestically above the competition, marking out When Icarus Falls as a band with a huge amount of potential and skill within the post rock genre.
Post rock became something of an overcrowded genre in the mid 00s. Pioneers like Mogwai, Isis and Red Sparowes quietly moved on, evolving their tastes and output or giving out entirely, whilst the followers on their coattails slowly went extinct. With the distance of time, a new breed of innovator is rising and at the very forefront you’ll find When Icarus Falls, a band who have taken the tropes of the genre and added their own distinctive spin, claiming the music as their own and carving out their own unique niche. The music harks back to the glory days of Isis, when the band were feted by press and fans alike, and yet it is also forward looking, suggesting that brighter days for the band are yet to come. Musically, ‘circles’ is not unlike standing alone, in a quiet spot, with a firework display illuminating the heavens. The songs are exciting, evocative and imaginative and they crave repeated listens and complete attention. Close the curtains, put your life on hold and drift with ‘circles’, it’s a trip you’ll want to repeat.
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