UpCdownC - Embers

Post-rock is becoming an increasingly difficult genre for bands - especially those with fundamentally traditional guitar/bass/drum line-ups – to carve out a niche for themselves within. This album sees UpCdownC carefully trying to avoid treading on the toes of a number of already established veterans. Though there is an inescapable sense of familiarity throughout, that is not an indictment of the quality. McDoomish in particular is a creeping, sinister beast that eventually erupts into the kind of riff-heavy thunder that Envy also do particularly well. Murmurs Parts 1 and 2 drift to the friendlier end of the spectrum, recalling The Appleseed Cast with blissful crescendos and carefully layered guitar lines creating ideal late autumn soundtracks. The accumulated frenzy of guitars at times crowds out the drums, which might have been captured slightly more powerfully in recording, but the considerable intelligence underlying the songwriting is always apparent. [Chris Cusack]