Post-rock heroes Mogwai have added another EP to their catalog by the name of Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1. which is comprised of unreleased tracks composed during their latest album Rave Tapes as well several re-mixes. Mogwai have most definitely had a profound impact on the genre of Post-rock (as well as one can group it into a genre) and have doubtless inspired many a college band to nine minute instrumental performances. The slow droning multi-layered soundscape that has defined Mogwai for more than decade makes a strong return in the EP and
“Teenage Exorcists” is on Mogwai’s more melodic side, and clocking in at under four minutes on their shorter side. The track takes uses a wall of distortion in concert with ethereal vocals and leaves a lingering sense of awareness and calm inertia. “History Day” is a somber instrumental that has a certain pondering assertiveness, one can almost visualize time’s passage through the synth pad’s clash with the fuzzed guitar feedback and minimal percussion. “HMP Shaun William Ryder” is a slightly more guitar centric track that builds gradual momentum with the steadily increasing distortion of the guitar before collapsing back into a calm clean passivity before a wild break back into distortion for the coda.
“Re-Remurdered (Blanck Mass Remix)” does little too improve on the original and seems to ruin the tension of the original with a too-frantic electronic rhythm section and pace. “No Medicine For Regret (Pye Corner Audio Remix)” likewise fails to build in any way constructive on the original. It attempts to do more of a low-fi electronic approach but loses the dynamic of the original instrumentation. “The Lord Is Out Of Control (Nils Frahm Remix)” is the most interesting re-imagining on the EP. It excludes the mellotron chorus of the original and the vocoder vocals are mixed down to create a more emotive minimalistic piece.
Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1. contains some interesting new material but is unfortunately held back by some underwhelming re-mixes. I hope that know Mogwai has released their back catalog that they can move on to a new full length album, but if you are already a Mogwai fan check this out. If you’re not then there is a lot better material out there to start out on.
Rating: 7.5/10
Buy: iTunes
