Formed in 2007 from the ruins of another band, San Francisco-based An Isotope was born with the intent of ensuring the full expression of four autonomous individuals. Drawing inspiration from indie heroes like Broken Social Scene, Interpol, and Sunset Rubdown, An Isotope create a distinctive blend of indie rock that is as thoughtful as it is brawny, both nuanced and textured, sprawling in its ambition, all the while without the aid of a vocalist.
Their self-released, eponymous 2008 debut features six instrumental songs that all swell while never being formulaic, except maybe for those kickass codas. To some, the most striking and initially off-putting feature of the album is the absence of vocals. Others will latch onto its melodic experimentation within a pop sensibility.
The brooding opening track, "Glass Bridges," begins with an Interpol-esque solitary guitar that yields to stately piano and a hypnotic bass line, underpinned by propulsive drumming. While the initial part of the track would not sound totally out of place on a Deerhunter record, An Isotope ends by bursting into an all out rock anthem that cements their intent to not only craft delicate, refined songs but also to fuck some shit up.
Elsewhere, tracks like "Hurricane" and "Distractions” open innocuously enough with Day-Glo synth and haunting organ respectively before ending with soaring, breathtaking codas worthy of Sunset Rubdown's "Stadiums and Shrines II" and the Arcade Fire's "Wake Up." "Lancers" presents itself as the bastard child of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" and anything from the Les Savy Fav discography, humming and stomping along at a seemingly brisk seven minutes. Their inventive arrangement belies the straightforward guitar rock sound with flourishes of classical piano, lock step bass n’ drums, and that ever present anthemic guitar.
The album closer, "Still Pale," has An Isotope ascending towards unprecedented heights with an interplay of atmospheric synth and piano, grounded bass, dance-y cascading drums, and solo after blistering solo of guitar heroics that never sound gratuitous.
For a debut, An Isotope surprisingly display their versatility with a cohesive set of ambient pop, post-punk, and baroque pop that embraces experimentation while never forgoing pop immediacy and strong melodic hooks.
2009 sees An Isotope touring locally, experimenting with vocals, and crafting songs that reflect their growth and ever changing tastes.
If you want a physical copy of "An Isotope (2008)"
email us at an.isotope[at]gmail.com!
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