Every Country's Sun

by 
AlbumSep 01 / 201711 songs, 56m 7s
Post-Rock
Popular Highly Rated

Every Country's Sun takes two decades of Mogwai's signature, contrasting sounds – towering intensity, pastoral introspection, synth-rock minimalism, DNA-detonating volume – and distills it, beautifully, into 56 concise minutes of gracious elegance, hymnal trance-rock, and transcendental euphoria. Produced by psych-rock luminary Dave Fridmann, it's a structural soundscape built from stark foundations up; from a gentle, twinkling, synth-rock spectre to a solid, blown-out, skyward-thrusting obelisk. There's percussive, dream-state electronics (“Coolverine”), church organs as chariots of existential fire (“Brain Sweeties”), tremulous, foreboding bleeping – possibly from a dying android (“aka 47”). Their most transportive album yet, it also hosts their most fully realized art-pop sing-along of their storied history, “Party In The Dark,” a head-spinning disco-dream double-helix echoing New Order and The Flaming Lips, featuring Braithwaite's seldom-heard melodic vocals declaring he's “directionless and innocent, searching for another piece of mind”. This is music as a keep-out chrysalis, protective audio armor through exalting organs and portentous, dissonant guitar fuzz warping at the edges, bending the world inside-out into a reality in which you'd much rather live. The last three songs ascend into explosive exorcism, closing with the colossal “Every Country's Sun,” its searching intensity whooshing towards infinity in a dazzling cosmic crescendo.

134

7.6 / 10

With David Fridmann producing, the latest Mogwai album contains the same bratty conviction that defined their greatest records, like there’s something truly at stake.

B

At this point, Mogwai could be forgiven for resting on its laurels. The group has grown into an acclaimed international act, 22 years and counting, with a reliable musical formula that’s steady as a slow-burning fuse. That remarkable consistency makes Every Country’s Sun resemble a greatest-hits album, even if it’s…

9 / 10

Impelled by a strange and troubled Zeitgeist, the Scottish post-rock heroes return with one of their most accomplished and vital full-length efforts to date.

The Glasgow post-rock behemoths are now 22 years into a contradictory career that has taken in ear-bleeding doom, palpitating prettiness and now a burgeoning sideline in soundtracks.

7.3 / 10

Serene isn’t necessarily a word you would associate with this group of Scottish post-rock legends.

Also: Gregg Allman, Martin Simpson, The Rails, Winwood

Mogwai rang in their 22nd year of existence with Every Country's Sun, their first non-soundtrack album since 2014's Rave Tapes and their first without founding guitarist John Cummings.

On their ninth studio album, Mogwai combine elements from across their career into a monumental whole.

8 / 10

One of the reasons Mogwai's Rave Tapes was such a success (it was the top selling UK vinyl records released in 2014) had to do with its tona...

Having recently toured the epic ‘Atomic’ soundtrack, a distressing film of a post-apocalyptic world and achieving success with supergroup Minor Victories last year, nobody would judge Mogwai for taking a break; but instead they return with their 9th studio album, Every Country’s Sun.

8.0 / 10

Much has happened in Mogwai's self made sphere since their last proper studio album, the sub rosa assault Rave Tapes, three years ago.

8 / 10

At this year’s Primavera Sound, Scottish post-rock pioneers Mogwai took the bold move to preview their then recently announced album ‘Every

(Rock Action)

9 / 10

Scottish post-rock legends Mogwai's ninth album 'Every Country's Sun' boasts some of the best music they've written this century.

6 / 10

7.0 / 10

Review of Mogwai's new LP: 'Every Country's Sun' by Mogwai finds the Scottish band blending soundtrack work into more rock for, mostly positive results.

75 %

A hopeful, even ecstatic record.

Album Reviews: Mogwai - Every Country's Sun

4.0 / 5

Mogwai - Every Country's Sun review: Probably their most accessible effort so far…

Scottish stalwarts find the post-rock/electronica sweet spot. CD New Music review by Javi Fedrick

8 / 10