The Mercury Program – New Myths lp

The Mercury Program – New Myths lp

"Whilst instrumental music is often said to be as emotionally rich and moving as songs with the most heartfelt lyrics - particularly in the arena of post-rock - I can’t help but notice that the vocal-less is so often also the voiceless. Being fully instrumental shouldn’t mean you have nothing to say, and yet conceptually languid, lackluster instrumental albums are commonplace. It can be argued that part of the charm of both writing and listening to instrumental music is the nebulousness of the underlying theme. Instrumental bands are unburdened by half-hearted prose, centre-of-attention vocals or the risk of losing would-be fans due to an inscrutable distaste for the singer’s tone or style. Being wordless can perversely open music up to being able to communicate anything, but taking advantage of this freedom is a feat that few bands manage.

With this in mind, it is extremely gratifying to be able to talk about a band that has so consistently delivered instrumental music that communicates something profound, whilst avoiding formulaic post-rock crescendos or the veritable twinkles of jazzy math rock. Whilst The Mercury Program are bedfellows of post-rock, their groove-led intricacy and thoughtful use of effects has allowed them to occupy a space in the instrumental music world that breaks the spell of the subgenre’s connotations. Whilst ‘long, reverby and soundscaped’ wouldn’t be an uncharitable description of earlier work, their most acclaimed music contains shorter, sharper riffs and unapologetically repetitive melodies, all the while maintaining rhythmic interest and charming the ear with a twinkle of vibraphone.

This new EP New Myths comprises of 6 tracks and breaks the second of the band’s two 7 year hiatuses. The first extended break between 2003-2009 ended with the unexpected release of Chez Viking, a groove-centric jazz-rock album balanced by atmospheric themes. Seven years later, and this time around shorter, more direct songs break the hypnosis The Mercury Program so often leave you reveling in, favoring spontaneous, varied structures." - The Mathrock Blog