Review Summary: An intense math rock album with some fluff that holds back the true potential of an obviously very talented duo.
Math rock is a tricky genre to really master. There's a very fine line between not really pushing the technical complexities and going too far and becoming a self indulgent jam band. Quarupede though, have hit a perfect balance here. The songs are always dynamically evolving and each of the four main tracks (three of the songs here are like introductions to the longer ones) has a distinct sound. "Mambo Pomelo" is a boisterous dance tune, "Rhododenderon" is a densely packed and overwhelming ride, "Astro" is a progressive almost space jam, and "Adulthood" is an electronically tinged trip through nostalgia.
Musically, each of the four main tracks are like sets of building blocks that constantly shift and swap. "Rhododenderon" is the best example. The 6/8 drum and guitar patterns provide a backdrop to keyboard and occasionally what sounds like sampled marimba leads while swapping out with a polyrhythmic guitar melody. It's a fascinating exercise to hear the sounds combine and I highly encourage any listener to do the same type of "analysis".
I feel like the album needs a bit less "fluff" and more of the longer more intricate passage-work that this duo (yep, there's just two dudes here) is obviously capable of. But those shorter tracks are also very effective at relieving the massive amounts of tension the longer tracks can build. But there's really no room to waste of a seven track album. Regardless, I'm keeping my eye on this group.
