‘R U Person Or Not’ finds Group of the Altos melt so many vaguely familiar stylistic elements together that the end result is altogether alien. The opener, ‘Learning To Share’ seems like an odd way to open an album: on the one hand it sounds like Shellac in its skewed timings and up-front production values, but on the other, it’s strangely subdued, like they’re holding a lot back. And indeed they are, although ‘To: Saviour’ doesn’t burst in the riot of math noise you might expect, and instead brings an unexpectedly bluesy, Led Zep vibe.
The smoochy Americana of ‘News from Wino’ manges to incorporate a Bowie-esque slant and if one thing should be clear by now it’s that ‘R U Person Or Not’ doesn’t play to any genre type.
They may be 12 in number, but while there’s density to the arrangements, there’s also space. Rather than favouring volume, what Altos achieve is a remarkable texture of sound. Another notable expansion of their sound lies in the use of vocals: sometimes low in the mix, the emphasis is on providing additional layers of harmony and textures rather than a focal point.
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If the lugubrious trip-hop of ‘Fucks With Us’ doesn’t sit terribly well, then it’s more than compensated by the melancholic brass-augmented post-rock of ‘On Wreck’ and the wild psychedelic heavy prog groove of the last track, ‘Forgiveness Rules’, and you can’t fault these guys for their unstinting commitment to try things.
Group of the Altos Online
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