Record #594: Mogwai – Rave Tapes (2014)

Across their storied career, Mogwai have been no strangers to experimentation. Their sonic palette has stretched from cinematic post rock to Krautrock to heavy metal to indie rock.

But rarely do their experimentations last an entire record. But on 2014’s Rave Tapes, the Scottish post rock demigods decided to set aside their trademark bombast and spend an album practicing restraint.

Rave Tapes is a rare album in the Mogwai catalogue—in that it has a clear identity among a collection of incredibly consistent output. While they have experimented with electronic music many times throughout their career, this has a much more electronic core.

The lead single “Simon Ferocious” is led by an oscillating saw wave, accompanied by drums and guitars. “Remurdered” is moody and menacing, with bit-crushed drums beating under layers of synthesizers. “Deesh” pulses with a dark beat and synth strings that wouldn’t be out of place on the soundtrack to Blade Runner. Closer “The Lord Is Losing Control” adds vocoder vocals, playing like a ballad by an alternate universe Kraftwerk.

But that electronica influence is not enough to keep their post rock flag from flying. Many of the tracks blend the synthesizers and drum machines with their typical guitar-centric instrumentation, with excellent results. “Heard About You Last Night” is textbook Mogwai, save for the lack of combustion. “Hexon Bogon” even has tremolo-picked fuzz guitar and crashing drums. “Master Card” almost entirely abandons the electronics for angular chords. “Blues Hour” is a vocals-featuring piano ballad that feels like the spiritual sequel to “R U Still In 2 It” from Young Team.

It says a lot about a band when they can experiment with their sonic palette in such a profound way and still sound recognizable. Rave Tapes is proof that Mogwai’s voice is strong enough that even when the musicians are obscured behind digital electronics, you can’t mistake them for anyone else. It’s also proof that almost twenty years into their career, they’re still agile enough to take some sharp left turns without stumbling.