Review: Pyramids ‘Pythagoras’
Pythagoras was a Greek mathematician and philosopher that many modern scholars are still stumped on several millennia later, unsure of the veracity of some of his teachings or findings. Pyramids latest album, which carries his name, also carries with it an uncertainty.
Frankly, I’m not altogether sure what I’m listening to. Dancey electro pop with subdued black metal screams coupled with melodic shoegaze singing? Latin pop rhythms with grinding lo-fi guitar? What the heck? This marks their third full-length album released via The Flenser in a career that reaches back to the tender days of 2008.
Fools Gold is a bumping bit of melodic pop number which is catchy and a bit soothing, but with a touch of violence underneath the surface, as evidenced by the programmed drum machine switching to a stabbing blast beat. Pretty Pigs follows a similar trajectory, treading a luminous path of shoegaze grace with some additional female Spanish vocals courtesy of Argentinian singer Emy Smith.
A steady daresay reggaeton 4/4 beat carries Bones And Eggshells, while some Latin jazz horn playing makes its way into Mira Mirame Brillar. The production on this album is noticeably crisp, which is no small feat, as this is a very dense mix with many components going on. Slowdive’s Simon Scott handled the mastering while the mixing was done by David Embree, and their handiwork shines through.
It’s an eclectic style of pop that draws on some rather disparate influences to make for a very unique listening experience…
Blackgaze flirtations with reggaeton continue with the white noise assault of Brine and Cracks, while the closer God Of Light returns to reggaeton bounce with Emy’s vocals in tow.
Is Pythagoras a good record? Absolutely. It’s an eclectic style of pop that draws on some rather disparate influences to make for a very unique listening experience. I don’t particularly think it’s for me. The reggaeton beats become quite grating, and much of the songwriting doesn’t seem to stray from the established format. But I cannot help but applaud growth and innovation, even if it’s in a direction I wouldn’t have chosen.
It’s very impressive that Pyramids have taken such a path coming from their blackgaze roots. Pythagoras may have confounded me, but fans of daring modern music should take a listen.
Label: The Flenser
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Rob Walsh
