Gregor Samsa - Rest

Gregor Samsa. Rest. 2008. 3.5 stars .

Gregor Samsa’s latest offering is a gentle post rock album that carefully lures the listener into a somnambulist daze. Taking a page from the otherwordly Sigur Ros, Gregor Samsa’s second full length is an abstract affair, with minimalistic compositions consisting of quiet piano lines, subtle drones, strings and whispering vocals, coming together in sparse, low key arrangements, rather than the climbing bombast often associated with the genre.

While the lack of crescendos and climaxes may bore some listeners, more patient ears will be rewarded by the band’s painstaking attention to detail, as the dense layers within these 9 tracks slowly, and beautifully unravel. From the delicate chimes that lead off “The Adolescent” to Nikki King’s feather light vocals on “Company”, Gregor Samsa ’s sound is remarkably fragile, giving it a dreamy atmosphere that conveys vulnerability. To truly appreciate this work, you have to handle it with care. You have to let each ambient tone wash over you if you are to enter the band’s haunted landscape.

Rest, in all its sleepy grandiosity, has all the subtlety and composure to rank it among the most hypnotic ambient albums. The endearing vocals and layered instrumentation lend some captivating rock elements into the mix, but don’t be mislead by the post-rock label attributed here - this is not another Mogwai clone. Rather Gregor Samsa avoid the loud-quiet dynamics to pursue a more organic approach, letting the notes fall like damp rose pedals. Intriguing and often soothing, the aptly titled Rest is an easy sleeping pill to swallow, if you are in the mood for it.

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