From a personal stand point, post-rock has become somewhat of a stale genre these days. While it still omits certain nostalgic thought within, it’s hard to picture anyone breaking the glass ceiling born from acts like Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky without the helping hand of something that little bit extra. Three Trapped Tigers most certainly fall into the more electronically inclined bracket. Their sound has been described as everything from leftfield, to electronica, to jazz, to (yes) post-rock. But in truth, such titles seemed unnecessary as the band are a rare breed of musical invention n such a confined genre.
‘10’ opens proceedings with the tribal thump of drums and glitchy soundscapes – nothing overtly out of the ordinary for TTT, but still somewhat slower and definitively more restrained than their rawer and energetic previous efforts. And then, of course, arrives the obligatory drop, heralding a hope that the sting has not left yet. Recent leak ‘11’ epitomises only further just how the band have managed to weld a spazzy, almost Blood Brothers swagger to a leftfield electronic base, before dipping into a romantically tapped guitar lick and unhinged rhythm. On reading such babble, you’d think nothing should make sense. It could be jazz in its heart, yet is structured to within an inch of its life, each sound having a definitive purpose.
But that – now – has become the main bugbear for the band. It’s evident on EP3 that the three are more and more willing to experiment with their electronic base, and ultimately break out of that template that greeted them with unfortunate pretender tags. Unfortunately, it seems a struggle when stood up next to the organic process of their past. ‘12’s anticlimactic crescendo is annoying considering the invention in its synth laden build up, while closer ‘13’ staple drum beat seems out-of-click with their standard level of invention and sounds only poorer in comparison to their angular past.
Such creative adventurism has left things seeming weakened, albeit for arguably the first time in their small yet prolific canon. Chanted vocals seem out of place as intended instruments, endings of songs spiral out of control in a rushed melee of sounds. But this is what can happen when such an artist goes from completely smashing a template and trying to step forward.
It’s still a thoroughly enthralling listen – you shouldn’t expect anything less – but in comparison to their urgent, angular past, things seem slightly dulled down. By far their most complex and lingering effort to date, and by no means a sore thumb on the hand of their back catalogue, there’s a sense that these Tigers are yet to pounce (sorry!). Probably won’t be ready for it when they do, mind, and the attack will hopefully be the most exhilarating mauling we’ll receive.
Words : William Grant
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