HELIOSCOPE

I must admit, most math rock leaves me cold. But this album has won me over. I first heard it at www.progstreaming.com, and soon became obsessed with it's warmth and intricate layering of sounds. The mesmerizing qualities of the swirling patterns of sound, played by some spectacular musicians has opened my eyes to the wonders of this genre. For this I owe a debt of gratitude to both the band and the streaming web site where I first heard it.

The first thing that strikes me is the power behind the music. Tim Mitchell's exciting drum work provides the backdrop for eack song, while bass, keyboards and guitar fill in for some swirling tonal interplay. And the vocals, often a distraction in the math rock that I've heard, are so perfectly laid onto the music that it just adds to the wonder.

Vessels are a five-piece math rock band from the UK. Most math bands have only three or four members, but Vessels generally puts a little more emphasis on keyboards than most math bands. I haven't heard their first album but I like Helioscope very much. In fact, I enjoy it the more I listen to it. Math Rock seems pretty strong as a genre right now and this album is evidence of that.

The opener "Monoform" is probably the best song on the album. Love the use of synth in this song. Great drumming too. It sounds like some kind of mallet percussion is being played before the song gets even more intense. Some cool altered wordless vocals after 2 minutes. Almost drum'n'bass style beats for awhile. "The Trap" starts out with a motorik groove on guitar before other instruments come in, including interesting percussive drumming. The song alternates between more laid-back and rockin' parts.

"Recur" begins as an indie type song, something the people at the Pitchfork website would drool over. I've heard much better songs in this style. Some percussion adds to that part of the track. The last half of the song is some nice atmospheric guitars. A cool guitar effect links "Recur" and "Later Than You Think" together. Love the drumming here. This track somewhat reminds me of Do Make Say Think. Great African-style drumming halfway. At this point the guitar playing gets rather melodic. Gets almost symphonic sounding at the end.

I love the title of "Meatman, Piano Tuner, Prostitute." This is another vocal song which sounds similar to Radiohead. A laid-back song featuring busy drumming with lots of tom-tom action. "Art/Choke" is an intense and powerful song, almost metal sounding at times. There is some organ in this song which adds a lot. "Heal" is an atmospheric piece with guitar effects and keyboards. "All Our Ends" is another vocal song which reminds me of Broken Social Scene. This track features acoustic guitar, which is rare in math rock.

The harmony vocals are good. The intrumental heart of the song is the best part; it just builds and builds and gets more intense. Strange percussive sounds and someone talking at the end. "Spun Infinite" is another atmospheric track but with vocals. It's the weakest track on the album and it's a good thing it's the last song. Yet it doesn't make for a good ending to Helioscope. Still, a great album and one of the best from this year that I have heard so far. Highly recommended to fans of math rock. 4 stars.

Traditional post-rock met with occasional electronic flair, this album consists of primarily instrumentals with an occasional song placed here and there. For those who appreciate Radiohead or could imagine a friendlier Porcupine Tree's The Incident, this is an experience worth acquiring.

"Monoform" A heavy beat under counterintuitive electronics batters its way through the first moments of the album before the piece settles into a comfortable rhythm. The ending sweeps in like the cold fury of a blizzard.

"The Trap" Continuing the pleasant but urgent pace of the previous track, "The Trap" quiets down, allowing the bass drum to mark the intensity. Gradually growing in loudness, the end of the piece possesses blasts of growling guitar.

"Recur" Peppy and lighthearted, this first song has low vocals, both in the fore and as backup. Rolling snares provide added energy even when the vocals tend to drag.

"Later Than You Think" Soft, semi-plucked tones are met with deep rumbles below. Grungy rock punctuates and contrasts with the light electronic elements.

"Meatman, Piano Tuner, Prostitute" Feathery piano-like music in an odd time signature brings in Steven Wilson-like vocals. The concluding passage nears the likes of doom metal.

"Art/Choke" After a blazing rock passage, a sputtering, thudding bass leads the charge, essentially setting up a basic rhythm, allowing the washes of sound and the active drums to paint a picture of sound over it.

"Heal" Perhaps predictably the most tranquil and soothing of the music presented, "Heal" relies on soft, crashing waves and gentle timbres.

"All Our Ends" My favorite track on the album, "All Our Ends" has much more convincing vocals with a satisfying harmony. The guitars are sprightly, while the drumming during the second verse puts the cheerful factor right where it should be. Acoustic guitar adds another agreeable layer.

"Spun Infinite" The final song is a dirge-like tune, without percussion, and somehow very distant.