sat 07/12/2024

CD: Mogwai - Rave Tapes | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Mogwai - Rave Tapes

CD: Mogwai - Rave Tapes

New sounds but no radical changes in direction for Scottish post-rockers

No raving here

It is almost 20 years since Mogwai emerged into the post-rock scene with their particular brand of ambient art rock. In recent years, they have also dipped into producing soundtracks for French television’s Les Revenants (which appeared in the summer of 2013, as The Returned, on Channel 4) and Douglas Gordon and Philippe Pareno’s film Zidane: A 21st-Century Portrait.

However, they have never strayed far from their dreamy, fuzzy (yet not necessarily mellow) and largely instrumental style. Indeed, Rave Tapes sees them continue to press on in that direction with no radical change. In fact, anyone expecting an homage to the ecstasy rush of the 303 sound of late 1980s acid house is going to be disappointed, as their new album’s title proves to be a bit of a misnomer.

Mogwai, however, have certainly expanded their pallet with this new set of tunes. The spirit of the excellent Portico Quartet is summoned for opening track, “Heard about you last night,” and electronics-heavy pieces, such as “Simon Ferocious” and “Remurdered”, rub up against the big, choppy guitars of “Master Card” and the quiet cacophony to which “Blues Hour” builds and then retreats. There’s even space for a spoken word accompaniment on “Repelish”, which ruminates on the concept of the supposed insidious, Satanic subliminal messages on the likes of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” et al.

Unfortunately, there is always the feeling, possibly suggested by having experienced Mogwai’s soundtrack work previously, that Rave Tapes is itself, a soundtrack in search of a film. While this is pleasant enough, it doesn’t really engage this listener. However, I do imagine that it is destined to become the background music for a fair few hipster dinner parties in 2014.

Anyone expecting an homage to the ecstasy rush of the 303 sound of late 1980s acid house is going to be disappointed

rating

Editor Rating: 
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)

Explore topics

Share this article

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters