Band: Beak> | Album: >>>> | Genre: Post-rock, Krautrock | Year: 2024
From: Bristol, UK | Label: Invada Records
For fans of: late ‘60s Pink Floyd, Neu!, Unknown Mortal Orchestra
I’m pretty sure this is the first record I’ve reviewed with a completely unpronounceable title. Thankfully, this is a text-based site, so I don’t need to say “greater-than sign, greater-than sign, greater-than sign, greater-than sign.” Such odd, ASCII-inspired titles are not entirely uncommon in certain styles of music. Math rock and many types of electronica dabble in it, and Beak> are math-rock adjacent. Most of this record is more in the vein of hazy, psychedelic, kraut-y post-rock, but post-rock and math rock do share quite a bit of DNA.
>>>> opens with a Floydian organ passage on “Strawberry Line”. This especially calls to mind the conclusion of “A Saucerful of Secrets”. When the vocals enter, they’re distant and murky. An energetic bassline eventually begins bubbling up, lending some contrasting momentum to what has so far been a psychedelic dirge. Skittering percussion and bassy blasts of synth keep this tension at the forefront. The song comes to a satisfying conclusion as synthesizer arpeggios dissolve over the same organ chords that opened the song. “Strawberry Line” is an excellent example of how repetition can be a powerful tool in a rock context.
“The Seal” kicks off with an ostinato bassline and high, warbling synths, calling to mind many classic krautrock acts. The guitars are wiry and twangy, and the carefully-sung vocals add to the sense of something being restrained. This is followed by “Windmill Hill”, the shortest song on the album. It feels woozy and drunken. The guitar is detuned and underpinned with a groaning and queasy bass tone. The rhythm is irregular and lurching, but the drumming is deft enough to hold it all together.
“Denim” is another slow-moving cut. It shares a feel with certain strains of indie rock from the late 2000s or early 2010s, but it’s fed through a slightly-bizarro filter. Guitars are often brittle and microtonal, and the synth tones also lend a somewhat “off” feel. The conclusion sees Beak> bust out their heaviest distortion yet. It’s an overwhelming wall of fuzz.
Everything once again sounds distant on “Hungry Are We”. It’s like the band is playing in the next room, which adds to this cut’s sense of yearning. There’s also a subtle hint of warmth to the harmonized vocals that calls to mind The Eagles. Spacey synths and airy guitar lines lend this song a wide-open atmosphere. The song’s conclusion is about as energetic as this band gets, and it’s great. It’s almost catchy!
The opening moments of “Ah Yeah” sound like a post-rock take on a Peter Gabriel song, with its high bass notes and distinctive percussion. This song features some of the album’s most exciting instrumental moments. The hypnotic backing serves as a canvas for swirling and swelling to take the lead.
Breathy synthesizers start things off on “Bloody Miles”, and this is one of the points where I feel like the repetition becomes a burden to this band. However, halfway through, the song takes a hard left turn to something bouncier and more energetic. Like much of the rest of this record, there’s a vague, otherworldly feel to this. I wish Beak> would’ve cut down on the intro and gotten to this passage a bit more quickly.
“Secrets” has the rhythm of a post-punk dance song. It’s fun, but it’s honestly one of the less-memorable songs here.
The album closes on “Cellophane”. Much like this album’s opening, this is a haunting dirge. It’s slow-moving and lets the music’s negative space do the heavy lifting. However, unlike “Strawberry Line”, this feels somewhat drawn-out. “Cellophane” would have been a solid cut at five minutes. Eight minutes feels like it’s belaboring the point, despite its driving outro. The band simply took a bit too long getting here
Overall, I really enjoyed my first exposure to Beak>. The atmosphere is consistently hazy and creepy, and they do a great job at utilizing repetition and abstract textures. Some songs are longer than they need to be, and the very consistent haziness can make certain songs bleed together. But if you’re looking for an eerie, meditative bit of post-rock, >>>> is a solid choice.
Score: 78/100
The Elite Extremophile 