Album of the Week: Thelittlesorryselfyouare

Thelittlesorryselfyouare
Thelittlesorryselfyouare EP
Self-Released
Myspace

By some standards, Thelittlesorryselfyouare's five-track, forty minute debut EP is nothing out of the ordinary within the contemporary experimental scene. As a quintet from Belgium, Thelittlesorryselfyouare is comprised of two guitarists, a bassist, keyboardist, and a drummer. The music itself, while at no stretch boring or tired, utilizes fairly typical post-rock techniques: melodic, crescendo-heavy pieces are elegantly crafted through the use of fluttering tremolo and moments of heavy guitar distortion. Undoubtedly, Thelittlesorryselfyouare respect and indeed draw from their influences on a number of occasions, but unlike many other young artists, distinguish themselves through a palpable sense of passion and intensity. Thelittlesorryselfyouare present a somewhat raw cohesion of atmospheric, textural guitar work and windy song structures, commonly delving into moments of contrasting delicacy and wall of sound schematics. "Designedly Dissolved into Nothingless," the EP's standout track, creates an intriguing, melancholic atmosphere that merges into a distortion-rich crescendo format. On display here, and within the EP in general, is a unique feeling of unbridled emotion and creativity. The band seemingly play less for the creation of a monumental, ground-breaking work than they do for the concept of "art for art's sake": Thelittlesorryselfyouare craft music that is ultimately an expression of their collective sentiment, unrestrained by an overbearing sense of importance or weight. Instead, Thelittlesorryselfyouare concentrate on shifting environments through texture, eager to portray dramatic soundscapes and images. However, the band's relative youth and the overall raw nature of their music does hinder the EP in a few regards. The songs presented on the EP all follow a common pattern, and while at some points the lengthy compositions are effective, other moments tend to drag as a result of unnecessary interludes and overly-drawn out crescendos. Ultimately, the band would benefit from the inclusion of more compact compositions, such as opener "Do," alongside lengthier, decidedly epic pieces ("Pynar and His Backseat Problems"). That being said, Thelittlesorryselfyouare are without doubt a group to keep an eye on in the future. The band are certainly on the right path with their debut EP, which remains one of the highlights of the European post-rock scene this year.