RELAXER
Frontman Joe Newman describes his band’s third album as “a great landscape eliciting different emotional reactions.” It’s fabulously treacherous terrain, dotted with unpredictable twists, turns, and rabbit holes. Even the most immediate track—“Deadcrush,” simmering space-funk inspired by deceased objects of desire—is dazzlingly rich in ideas. The band’s ambition reaches towering peaks on “Pleader,” which samples Ely Cathedral’s choir *and* its heating system while snaking through gentle folk, dystopian discord, and symphonic majesty. A remarkable balance of invention and accessibility, *Relaxer* places alt-J in a lineage of great British rock innovators that stretches from Pink Floyd to Radiohead.
The third album from the British fuss-rockers features tastefully trimmed string arrangements, chamber woodwinds, and terminal boredom.
On their third album, the Leeds trio have elevated themselves to one of Britain's biggest bands. Here's how they did it.
The scatological feel is a shame because at its best RELAXER is euphoric and poignant, at its worst it is frustrating and lumpy.
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For an album so brief, RELAXER's ability to evoke scale is testament to Alt-J’s demonstrable talents as artists.
Don't mistake the title of Alt-J's third album, Relaxer, as any profound metaphor or for having some hidden meaning. In earnest, the title i...
One wouldn't assume that a series of zeroes and ones could be sung in a convincing, let alone catchy, refrain.
alt-J have returned from a two-year respite, and this time they bring with them a low-res tapestry of ember-fuelled slow burners. Named
Third album from the experimental trio alt-J sees them trim down the length of previous albums and write their most concise LP to date.
'Relaxer' by alt-J, album review by Adam Williams, the full-length comes out on August 2nd, via Infectious/Warner. alt-J, play June 16th in London, UK.
The mainstream has embraced Alt-J: their short career has witnessed them headline Madison Square Garden, win major awards and accrue over a billion streams.
An indefinable melange of folk, blues, pop and electronica ...with strings and delicate, open-tuned guitar. Album review by Russ Coffey