SLEEPERSOUND
In Media Res
8/10
POST-ROCK ROCK OUT: In Media Res sounds as drenched in the mechanics of American work song as they are submerged with ambient evocations and early 70s Germanic rhythms. At times duskily sparse, often exploding with artful shredding and incessant dub throb, SleeperSound’s follow-up to 2016’s Pilots Passengers Portals EP shows the band capturing their own commitment to recreating their live ambitions of making post-rock actually rock out. Drummer and recording maven Dan Niedziejko conducted the energy of the quartet in his home studio, surrounding vocalist Mike Campise (also bass and synth) by arranging the instrumentation for close live approximation. Everyone is on multiple instruments, there are pedals everywhere, guitarist Dave D’Antonio especially implementing his percussion background in handling multiple roles. Kenny Buesing both handles guitars and brings in the kind of organ that helped craft classics like Starless and Bible Black—at the same time.SleeperSound crafted these six sprawling tracks for almost 12 months, tapping into concepts of entropy and disintegration on songs like “Error Tape” and “Slow Moon,” as their sound seems to equally ruminate aesthetically, reflecting either timelessness or eternity. Multiple song rehearsals didn’t dampen the flex and fire of discovery, as a lack of click track allowed the band to actually swing. Which they do, deep into space. ~ Lou Flesh
