Mogwai
Rave Tapes

I check the email and find a new message. Subject: Rave Tapes. I click and download the attached file, bought sight unseen. I watch the download bar grow, turning green rather quickly. Download completed.

And Holy Christ, they've done it again. Once more, after almost eighteen years of activity, they have made me jump out of my chair. Is it possible they never make a mistake? Is it possible that album after album they can still, inevitably, capture and trap me in their net? Yes, Mogwai are back. And know this, this will not be an objective review. It's impossible for me to talk objectively about Mogwai, in the (very much) good and in the (very little) bad.

Rave Tapes is the eighth official album of the Glasgow band, excluding various compilations and soundtracks released over the years. Rave Tapes is a blast. Now, I understand that at first glance the record might seem like crap. But as we know, Mogwai are not the best at choosing covers (except for "Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will" which, surprisingly, was beautiful). That pink hexagon, that kind of eye with two pupils in the center is just awful. Kitsch is the right word. Kitsch like "Remurdered", the first single and also the third track on the album, with the 1985 style electronic keyboard that so much resembles Atari music. Kitsch but super cool, I must say.

The rest is, what can I say, pure sonic ecstasy. Overflowing albeit too short, the splendid "Hexon Bogon", which comes quite close to that marvel that was "Rano Pano" on the previous album (god bless it). In "Repelish", a fascinating yet dark track in pure Mogwai style, there's someone talking, warning us to be careful listening to certain music because there might be the devil's touch. I'm not joking, the guy says that in the ultra-famous song "Stairway To Heaven" there's a satanic message if you listen to it backwards. Which was something already known, but Mogwai wanted to include this talk to say that today, year 2014, there are still people out there believing that in certain music there's the handiwork of that prankster Beelzebub. Alright.

The 50 minutes of the album slide by effortlessly, among electronic incursions never too overwhelming (except for the already mentioned "Remurdered") and the usual spectacular guitars that rise, rise, rise and explode inside you. "Deesh" is a delicate sonic trail in upbeat, removing any doubts (what doubts?) about our band's ability to compose post-rock pieces like true masters.

And shall we talk about the piano at the heart of the calm, moving, hopeful "Blues Hour"? Well, listen to me. Immerse yourself in this piece (sung, by the way!), stay in apnea for its entire duration and then tell me. Pure poetry, that's what this song is. Pure poetry. The album closes with the sweet and inspired "No Medicine For Regret" and the magnificent final flourish "The Lord Is Out Of Control", which fills my eyes with tears (how beautiful is the music video for this track?).

As I said above, Mogwai are back and Rave Tapes is a blast. Rave Tapes is once again an album of extraordinary beauty, once again confirming that Mogwai are the greatest post-rock band around. Period.