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Isotope 217º - Utonian_Automatic |
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ALBUM REVIEWSPick of the Chick: Our Favorite Releases, 1999-Present |
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Isotope 217º is a band comprised of several members of Chicago post-rockers Tortoise. Like Tortoise, Isotope 217º's music contains those ingredients that make post-rock intriguing--namely, amorphous song structure and quirky electronic manipulations. But unlike Tortoise, whose music tends to be a bit dull, Isotope 217º injects enough rhythmic spunk into the songs to keep you awake. Isotope 217º's second album, Utonian_Automatic, is a fusion of rock and jazz, but the album isn't that easy to pigeonhole. The rock isn't exactly rock, and the jazz isn't exactly jazz. To further confuse the issue, the band throws in elements of funk ("Looking After Life on Mars" and "Rest for the Wicked") and even hip-hop ("New Beyond"). The opening track, entitled "LUH," sets the tone for Utonian_Automatic. The song takes off with a frantic, organ-driven workout reminiscent of the League of Gentlemen, but halfway through the song, the theme shifts. A mellow atonal piece peppered with creepy electronic noises takes over. A third theme featuring a percussion-heavy, bass-driven rhythm kicks in at the end of the song. These thematic shifts are common throughout the album and give Utonian_Automatic a stream of conciousness feel. Listening to Isotope 217º is the aural equivalent of gazing into a kaleidoscope. You're bombarded with an endless pallet of musical colors that are constantly changing. It's a trippy experience. PIGEONHOLE: Colorful post-rock with a heavy dose of rhythmic spunk.
Andrew Helminger |
ISOTOPE 217º
