Bear the Mammoth • Purple Haus [LP]

With boisterous post-rock soundscapes akin to Mogwai, And So I Watch You From Afar and sleepmakeswaves, Bear the Mammoth’s new release is a triumphant return to form for the Australian post-rock veterans following 2018’s Years Under Glass.

Purple Haus builds on their legacy by experimenting further with synths and compositional styles, drawing influence from the likes of PVT, Com Truise and Boards of Canada. The result pushes the band to their limits – riffs meet synths as the band’s compositions become louder or lighter on a track-by-track basis.

“When we finished recording the new record, it didn’t take long for us all to start eye-balling new gear and talking about what we want to do next,” says bassist Stephen Evans. “The fun we’ve had experimenting with new ideas and themes still feels fresh, and we think the album is a good reflection of that. It’s the most synth-heavy album we’ve done so far, and there was a lot of influence from different genres that fell into the music naturally.”

Freshwater hits heavy out the gates with heaving distortion and thundering instrumentals. As the first single from the album, Freshwater shows a side of Bear the Mammoth that isn’t afraid to experiment with song structure – gentle highs, ear-blasting lows, roaring distortion and delicate delays underscore the band’s strengths in a single, energetic track.

“Freshwater is our first single, and it was born from us all going into a jam with our distortion pedals cranked way too loud,” says Evans. “We quickly decided we wanted to get some math-rock style riffs coming out too, along with a shoe-gazey outro. It was certainly difficult to compose and piece together, but so very enjoyable.”

Purple Haus presents Bear The Mammoth as confident post-rock artists who aren’t afraid to experiment with the norms. Playful at points, paying homage to the greats at others, Purple Haus is undeniably a representation of growth – one that will have wider impacts on Australia’s post-rock legacy. 

Tracklist

01. Jaded
02. Cridge
03. Freshwater
04. Unserene
05. Eugene
06. Rubon Cube
07. Somerset

Listen

Pressing info

180g colored vinyl pressed at dunk!pressing

Releases on Art As Catharsis.
Out July 28th, 2023.