Hey, remember that time I was tired beyond belief watching Pompeii in an Austin BBQ joint? No? Maybe for  the best, so here’s the executive summary: Pompeii are back and they have an album called Loom out. It’s splendorous.

Review done, milk is cancelled, the cat’s gone out, goodbye.

No, actually, grab a seat and let me tell you about the beauty inherent to the expansive sounds of Loom. The stillness of the cover artwork tells you everything you need to know about the music hidden inside: vastness and infinity captured in a clear round object. ‘Loom’ fades in, slowly watching the sun rise through the hazy grey morning.  The lyrics are a sweet mantra repeated while the music carries the rest of the emotions on its broad shoulders.

There seems to be a focus on cold climate related topics in Loom. ‘Celtic Mist’ adds strings to the mix, creating a certain Southern tinge to the band’s own post rock sound. ‘Frozen Planet’ has a sense of urgency amidst the expansive musical landscapes, which are as vast as the long drives in the dusty highways of Texas. ‘Frozen Reprise’ cools down the fidgety presence of its older brother. There’s a very moody starkness here, similar to the moment of you peace you find after a particular stressful situation.

Crescendos. That’s the beauty of post rock: the ability to place layer upon layer of musical ideas, conveying a sense of peace through desperation. Some bands try and end up over-egging the pudding, others deftly weave songs that feel cinematic in its a grandiosity. Examples of the latter include the explosive ‘Sleeper’ and the roadtrip mixtape friendly ‘Ekspedition’.

Still, the shades of grey contained in Loom do vary. ‘So Close’ manages to pack bits of post rock in less than 3 minutes, ‘Drift’ has that 80s feeling clearly wrapped in warm ski jackets (with detachable sleeves, of course!) and the sweet ‘Blueprint’ is as straightforward as they come, with a faster pace that still manages to keep that dreamy sensation whilst being instantly addicting.

Sometimes, you need to take a time out to rearrange your ideas and come back stronger than you were. Pompeii were absent for a while, but the wait paid off fully with Loom.

Words: Sam J. Valdés López

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