Richard HolmesTides From Nebula – Safehaven (Long Branch Records/Mystic)
Genre: Post-Rock
Could this be a vintage year for post-rock? With breathtaking releases from the likes of Cult of Luna and Bossk appearing in recent weeks, you wouldn’t bet against it.
And while Tides From Nebula aren’t quite in the same league as those legendary bands, their work on Safehaven shows that the Polish outfit have much to offer. In the same way that God Is An Astronaut fuse dramatic, sweeping melodies with hard, driving rhythms, this quartet make music that’s instantly accessible and at times, almost euphoric: Knees To The Earth, for instance, is a ray of sunshine in a genre often prone to disappearing into introspection.
In fact, much of this album actually ‘rocks’ and there are some supremely powerful moments here, such as the dark, brooding We Are The Mirror or the titanic Traversing, a track that breaks over you like a 50ft wave, before carrying you into the calmer waters of Colour of Glow.
Look within Safehaven and you won’t find the spark of true genius that makes the likes of Mogwai so compelling… but what you will discover is music that touches the soul, which both caresses and inspires. And that’s good enough for us.
RUSHONROCK RATED: 8/10 Tidal Power