Oceansize
Frames

I waited a long time (actually a very long time) before jotting down a few lines for this "Frames" by the very interesting (and in my view, very underrated) Mancunians Oceansize.

An extremely complex and intricate sound permeates every single minute of the eight tracks of the platter: post rock, progressive, the cerebral alternative rock of Tool and Dredg, are all components that can be equally found on the record. And it's astonishing how they are capable of blending these elements together, giving us, on more than one occasion, majestic pieces and emotions.

"Commemorative T-Shirt" enchants from the very beginning with an obviously "à la post rock" structure, with minimal riffs that grow over time, becoming increasingly full-bodied, enriched by heavier nuances (thanks to the excellent textures woven by the three guitars) and becoming more complex, letting the song form slowly dissolve in favor of more fluid, expanded, and unpredictable solutions. And if here Mike Vennart's voice rarely goes beyond sweet and lulling verses, there will be moments when things get more aggressive.

Besides the already mentioned track, I feel like highlighting other songs that stand out for their quality.

"Trail Of Fire" thrives on an exhilarating crescendo that strongly reminds me of Dredg, which in its second part becomes so enriched that it culminates in a glorious, spine-chilling finale; a similar structure can be found in the subsequent "Savant", almost a second part of the track just described, but further embellished and enriched by a truly touching string section.

The tone changes with "Only Twin", dark like certain productions of the recent Porcupine Tree, yet able to surprise thanks to the group's ability to shuffle the cards on the table. The tension accumulated throughout most of the track resolves in the last minutes, letting the sun filter through thanks to sonic explosions and the vocalist's voice, which perhaps reaches its peak of evoked pathos here.

However, it's "An Old Friend Of The Christy's" that, in my opinion, earns the title of the best composition in this "Frames". Slow, melancholic, and suffocating, it advances slowly and tears, shreds, and rips everything it encounters, leaving behind the simplicity of the riffs with which it opened.

The closure relies on two very different songs. "Sleeping Dogs And Dead Lions" is cerebral, neurotic, labyrinthine, and perhaps overall a bit too epileptic and chaotic to be fully understood (even if it does bring out the harder side of our artists). Nostalgia and melancholy pour in with the final "The Frame", a slow ballad as comforting as a warm hug that ends this record more than well, leaving us with a bittersweet taste in our mouths and the desire to savor the album again, to rediscover the passages missed on the first listen.

My initial idea in writing this review wasn't to provide a track-by-track description, but as you can see, I've actually described seven of the eight tracks on this "Frames". It is a record that grows on you more each time you listen to it, that reveals itself little by little, that wants to be conquered, a record that speaks in a whisper, that seems to shout things you already know but, by whispering, it also reveals feelings and emotions not usually evoked by an everyday song. And if it seems cold, distant, and complicated to you, set it aside and pick it up after a few days (or months as I did), and you'll see that your perspective will already be different.

To be savored slowly, over time and with the right frame of mind.