One of the most interesting things about post rock is that as clear as the conventions of the genre are, it’s a rare thing for a band to put out a record that hits all the right notes without seeming derivative.

But on their debut full-length, Texas natives Driving Slow Motion offer up a brand of heavy post rock that feels fresh without adding too much to the tried-and-true post rock formula.

I first became aware of Driving Slow Motion at Post. Festival this past October. And no context better showcases the monotony and uniformity that often plagues post rock than watching a bunch of post rock bands back to back (if anyone from Post. is reading this, the lineup was great, it’s not your fault). Tellingly, my favorite acts were those that reached beyond straight post rock—such as Spotlights, Holy Fawn, SOM, and O’Brother.

But in the middle of the day, my attention was grabbed by a more traditional post rock band, and they did not let go. It was Driving Slow Motion. They played thirty minutes without ever addressing the audience or pausing between songs, and it was absolutely spellbinding.

Arda has the same irresistible allure, perfectly capturing the intensity of their live show on wax.

As a post rock act, Driving Slow Motion’s sonic palette comes as no surprise. Heavily effected guitars cascade and burst alongside angular drum patterns and the occasional use of electronics. But what makes Arda so special is the group’s sublime sense of composition. Songs rise and fall like classical movements, using sonic explosions as emotional signifiers rather than getting loud for the sake of it. Despite the wordlessness of the tunes, there is a narrative here that is felt rather than understood.

“Far From Home” opens the record solemnly, a somber keyboard melody and glacial drum beat anchoring noisy, ambient guitars. The song swells, the guitars driving with a delayed rhythm, then pauses briefly before exploding in a burst of distortion and cymbal crashes. As the final notes ring out, a guitar arpeggio opens “The Way The World Was,” which plays with the same loud-soft dynamics as the opener, but without as much patience. The arpeggio is met with a grooving drum beat and moody bass line before it’s interrupted with heavy chord hits.

As the record continues, these same elements are rearranged, but it never sounds like they’re just replaying the same songs. It manages to keep to a consistent sonic palette and compositional MO without sounding like a rehash.

It’d be easy to point to other cinematic leaning post rock bands—as Texans, the group will naturally draw comparisons to Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You. And while Driving In Slow Motion hits many of the same emotional queues with many of the same tools, they have a voice that is undeniably their own.

And in a genre where playing to type is often encouraged, finding your own voice can be a difficult task. But if Arda is any indication, Driving Slow Motion has a lot to say.