Bleep

Second album from Chicago band Tortoise, first released in 1996 by Thrill Jockey and now given a handsome, much-deserved reissue in ‘15/16. Tortoise here are represented by Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire, David Pajo, and on Millions Living Never Die they, alongside contemporaries Slint, Labradford, and Stars of The Lid wrote the –American- template for what is now universally known as ‘post-rock’. Where those bands revelled in stately low-tempo arrangements, Tortoise have always pushed the electronics, even in these early days (the bit-crushed funk of ‘The Taut and The Tame’ shows that), and nodded to Cologne, Dussledorf and the 70s’ Krautrock scene here on the driving epic of ‘Djed’. Twenty years old but still sounding 100% vital- a must purchase for fans of this sound.