[Photo: Dustin Askland]
Small Isles features Jacob Snider and Jim Fairchild (Modest Mouse, Grandaddy) and the band makes largely instrumental music that should appeal to those who are looking for nuance, depth, and elegance in their indie-rock. The new record, The Valley, The Mountains, The Sea is out now via AKP Recordings and it's full of music that's larger than any genre-labels I can throw at this stuff.
The Valley, The Mountains, The Sea moves from mood to mood, with opener "Walked From Ruin" nearly a drone, even as "Life at One" edges closer to the kind of material that The Durutti Column usually pursues, mixed with a dash of Americana of the sort found in Jim Fairchild's other band. "Lake Superior" progresses with all the aching beauty of a composition by the late Harold Budd, while "The Concept" artfully updates the template created by early Mogwai.
All of this record is enthralling, and there's more variety here than most instrumental releases usually offer. Small Isles seem intent on crafting timeless music, music that exists in a rarefied space. Fans of any of the acts I've mentioned above, or even East River Pipe, will find textures and moments here to get lost in.
The Valley, The Mountains, The Sea is out now via AKP Recordings.
More details on Small Isles via their IG.