Album Reviews : sleepmakeswaves – in today already walks tomorrow

Post-rock isn’t particularly one of my favourite genres. Most instrumental post-rock bands bore me, and those with vocals… well, they usually have very average vocals. sleepmakeswaves (no, it’s not supposed to have a capital “s”) first demo however, was brilliant. The question was, whether a full length release would bore me like the many other post-rock bands around. Well, after listening to their new release, “in today already walks tomorrow”, I’ve realised I should never have had my doubts.

This album is beauty in every sense of the word.

Throughout the whole album there is a feeling of passion, of emotion, yet it is, as a whole, a very positive sounding album. It’s the type of album that takes you on a journey to a place where, all of a sudden, all negative thoughts leave you alone and everything is beautiful, everything is pure. Even at this very moment, while listening to the album, it’s a serious task to try and concentrate on writing this review, and not being taken away by the music.

I wouldn’t usually mention the album art in a review, however the artwork accompanying this release is absolutely stunning, and a perfect representation of the feelings that the album conjures up. The lack of any text on the front cover adds to the sense of freedom, and was definitely a great artistic decision. On top of all that, it looks extremely professional which is an important thing for any new(ish) band.

I’m not even going to bother trying to compare sleepmakeswaves to any other bands, because while they may have musical similarities to others (well, it’s impossible not to), I am yet to find any other band that create the same magical feeling and atmosphere. The majority of other bands in the same musical vein tend to create more negative atmospheres, and those that try and be more positive simply don’t seem to come across anywhere near as natural as sleepmakeswaves.

The album has a lot of variety on it, which I find is a necessity in this genre. The opening minutes of the album have a very progressive feel due to very prominent drums and bass lines, and a very stop-start momentum. There is a similar progressive undertone in several sections of “so that the children will always shout her name”. There are some fairly heavy parts, particularly on the opener “i will write peace on your wings and you will fly over the world”, yet even the heaviest moments still incorporate some beautiful melodies, whether on guitar or keys, that keep reinforcing that sense of positivity. They album does feature quite a large amount of slower, more mellow passages, with the track “it’s dark, it’s cold, it’s winter” being one of the few more sorrowful moments.

Interestingly, my favourite track on this release is actually a re-recording of one of the tracks off their first demo. Maybe it’s a deep down affection for the track, as it was one of the songs that has fuelled my recent love of more atmospheric music, but “one day you will teach me to let go of my fears” is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. It has undergone a few changes since the first demo, the largest being the introduction of violin. Tim Charles, violinist of Melbourne-based progressive black metal band “Ne Obliviscaris” adds even more depth to the song with his soaring violin and is definitely a welcome addition to the music. I would love to see even more inclusion of violin and other instruments in future sleepmakeswaves material.

Overall, this album is absolutely brilliant. sleepmakeswaves are such a young band (only formed in late 2006) and to create such a stunning 40 minutes of music is an incredible achievement. I am very eager to see where they go from here. No matter your taste in music, this release is well worth listening to. Most people will find something they appreciate here, whether it be the music, the atmosphere, the technical side, there’s sure to be something. 9.5/10

Band: sleepmakeswaves
Album: in today already walks tomorrow
Year: 2008
Genre: Post-rock
Label: Independant
Origin: New South Wales, Australia
http://www.myspace.com/sleepmakeswaves

Track Listing:
1. i will write peace on your wings and you will fly over the world
2. exits to nowhere
3. one day you will teach me to let go of my fears <– reviewers choice
4. so that children will always shout her name
5. it’s dark, it’s cold, it’s winter
6. what we cannot speak of must be passed ever in silence

Reviewed by Mean Machine