[rating=3.50]
The Globes are from Spokane, WA, not usually thought of as a hotbed for fruitful musical collaboration. Young, having graduated from high school in 2007, band members dedicated themselves to pursuing a musical vision that first expanded into a seven piece orchestral and cinematic unit before contacting to the current quartet. Future Self is their first release and retains a certain murky drama that is both musically complex and emotionally accessible.
Focused and intense, there are elements of Radiohead’s melancholic moods and twitchy transfers between organic and electronic textures. The Globes rely on natural, fluid drumming of Marcus Ourada to lead the charge of ever modulating arrangements. While the structures slide and shift the band plays with a taut intensity that is reminiscent of Tortoise’s knotty post rock. Some moments feel claustrophobic and almost menacing while others peak skyward with eyes squinting for light. “Haunted By Bears” and “Pigeon”, the albums two first tracks establish a sound that mixes a hushed vocal/lyrical aesthetic rooted in indie rock. “Stay golden, stay golden for me” they sing on the former. However, not content to languish here, The Globes propel the songs forward with an ever-evolving convulsive energy that is split between proto-jazz and space rock. Bassist Sean McCotter is locked in with Ourada’s drums and their intimate communication constantly shape shifts the music toward intriguing new landmarks.
Future Self bodes well for the prospects of this darkly creative quartet. With one eye on making moving songs and another on keeping the music moving, The Globes are a force.
