17 October 2014 - 0 Comments
One might expect a band’s return to the spotlight following an eight year hiatus to be a little quiet. Not so (nor possible) when it comes to New Zealand’s world-renowned post-rock trio Jakob.
Jakob’s return to the stage comes in the form of the epic new album Sines - and it’s no shrinking violet. To the contrary, it’s an absolute stormer, swelling with texture and deft technicality demanding talent and boldness few could muster, let alone execute.
It’s a hotly anticipated return; one fans will eagerly ingest and new listeners will curiously embrace. As with their acclaimed back catalogue (three albums and two EPs) Sines is a transporting experience, a journey that moves between harsh, crushing waves of noise and delicately orchestrated beauty.
Sines arrival comes several years after the international success of 2006’s explorative album Solace, which saw the band embark on extensive touring schedules of Europe, the UK, Australasia and the US (touring twice with prog heroes Tool throughout Australia and New Zealand, among others).
Multiple injuries slowed down the recording process of the album and forced the cancellation of a massive European tour in 2013. An international endeavour, Sines was recorded between Auckland (Roundhead Studios) and Napier (Sister Lung Studios) with and Nick Blow as well as acclaimed prog-metal band ISIS’ engineer Jono Gardner. At the mixing desk was Jakob’s own Jeff Boyle with pockets of guidance from the likes of longtime UK-based co-producer David Holmes, ISIS’ Aaron Harris, and Nick Blow. The process was complete under the experienced mastering hand of Chris Chetland at Kog.
The album’s opening track Blind Them With Science is a suspenseful experience, progressing over a seven-minute span from a gentle, elegant chiming into a rapturous wall of sound. The songs that accompany it on Sines echo its sense of scope and grit, the expansive landscapes of the band’s native Hawke’s Bay coming to mind.
It’s a vigorous and rewarding listen -- each member of the tripartite Jakob equation a crucial part of the overall sound. Jeff Boyle’s guitar work commands massive attention with deft spiralling and formidable walls of distortion, Maurice Beckett’s bass is equal parts rhythmic and melodic, surging and pulling back like a riptide; Jason Johnston’s drums respond in kind with cloudy, ambient thunderstorms and clean, careful beats.
The boys from sunny Napier have long worn a reputation much larger than their sleepy hometown. A band of cult status here and internationally recognised on the post-rock and noise scenes, Jakob’s return to the sonic world is a very welcome one, all the more so for its delay. Music such as this transcends trend and remains timeless, as with their international counterparts Mogwai and ISIS. Get those ears ready -- Jakob is emerging from a silent sleep to unveil Sines, perfectly formed at birth.
Jakob
Sines
CD, double vinyl and digitally
October 17th on Valve (Australia), Shoot The Freak (New Zealand)
October 21st on Mylene Sheath (Rest of the World).
Watch the video from Sines debut single Blind Them With Science filmed by acclaimed New Zealand video maker Peter Janes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ovUVNs4VY
Jakob will celebrate the release of Sines with extensive worldwide touring, beginning here at home in New Zealand. Dates are as follows:
Jakob Sines NZ Tour
Thursday 23 October, The Cabana, Napier
Friday 24 October, San Fran, Wellington
Friday 7 November, Churchills Tavern, Christchurch
Saturday 8 November, Chick's Hotel, Dunedin
Friday 14 November, Galatos, Auckland
Saturday 15 November, Sawmill Cafe, Leigh
Tickets are on sale now from undertheradar.co.nz
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