Hands in the Dark Releases “Travel Expop Series #2: Great Britain”

12 Jul 2013 — Henry Schiller

Record labels Hands In The Dark and All Time Low’s collaborative Travel Expop compilation series is intended to expose ostensibly experimental and avant-pop music from around the globe. Part two of the series, focusing on music from Great Britain, is officially out on August 6 but a couple of the tracks are available for preview right now. Travel Expop Series #2: Great Britain starts off with two pieces by The Oscillation, who sound a little like an alt-rock band (think Radiohead, Death Cab, or Bloc Party) raised by post-modern wolves. Their music is visceral and patterned, and it sets the stage perfectly for the rest of Travel Expop #2, in that it is essentially a compilation of instrumental rock songs.

After the thrashing “Insect Attention” and the groove-sensible post-rock anthem “Kissing The Sun,” Listening Mirror chime in with “Molech.Astronaut”, a riff-filled, controlled catastrophe that owes quite a little debt to groups like Megadeath. When a song isn’t explicitly rocking out, like on Ben Nash’s “Mother Leda,” you still get the sense that you’re listening to a post-grunge rocker’s idea of experimental music. I’m a little disappointed but only because I was expecting something that had its roots more firmly set in pop or in music of the avant-garde. For lovers of post-rock anthems, this is a nice little compilation of acts who have a punk-rock Mogwai attitude. Just don’t get fooled by the compilation’s title.