Mountains Under Oceans, had only recently, caused a ruckus at Broadcast with their EP launch, and compliments where compliments are due; it’s an interesting take on the instrumental quiet-loud epic-driven format, with a slight twist due to the fact the band cover a wider spectrum of influences going from the sludge-core–with single-note thrash akin to the purveyors’ of that particular movement in a similar vain to Will Haven and Raging Speedhorn – while able to shift into the more Mogwai-esque, bleary-eyed, cosmic post-rock sounds like 2001s Rock Action.
Mountains Under Oceans are an epic vocal-less four-piece who play magnum opus like instrumentals coated in copious amounts of emotional sentimentally; mixing down-tuned guitars, playing one-stringed, bottom-heavy, single-note-riffage that sounds like a ten-ton-hammer hacking away, claw-sided at rust addled hot-steel plates, with all the furor of an attack-squadron-corvette-attack (there’s a lot happening), compounded with melodiously delayed and soaring guitar lines and electronic samples further embellished with an ambient array of dreamscape reveries.
They band display all the elements of a unit still in their infantile developmental stage; still trying to hone their sound.
Needless to say, finding one’s core psyche; one’s true identity; is no easy feat – and it can’t be a forced exploit.
That’s not to say Mountains Under Oceans are devoid of a core identity.
Synonymous to a long tired drive home, drifting in-and-out of consciousness on a long stretch of road, wandering haphazardly into subconscious contemplations; schizophrenically steering on-and-off the tracks of sanity; all the true markings of a band finding their fundamental niche are there to be displayed.
On tracks like ‘Return’ the band sound like they need to rein in some of the pastiche elements and distill the parts that work best, and thusly, dispatch of the parts that don’t quite work so well.
For example, some of the changes in time signatures are well out there, and take away from the otherwise stealthily ambient auras and seamless transitions when the band are dynamically shifting and alternating from their quiet/heavy transitioning.
However, despite these minor squabbles, live they are a tight live unit; very tight indeed, and there is a confidence that hints at prognostic times to come for the band.
Just like Mogawai’s debut record Young Team; there was a bombardment of ideas that the band wanted to unleash – no doubt looking back in hindsight at the lack of self-awareness to be slightly more ruthless in the cutting-room floor.
Mountains Under Oceans will find eventually find their calling; and when the do, expect to see them popping up on the Glasgow circuit and further abound in copious bouts.
Tonight’s live show has all the elements of a great band, who just need to chisel and polish the edges of their steel contraptions in the piping red-hot embryonic stages of their songwriting prowess; to subdue the schizophrenic tendencies’ to throw too many things into the one mix, and create: operation overload.
Mountains Under Oceans are building a strong army of fans while they develop as a unit.
The live performance is taut and delivered with conviction and the highlights are acknowledged in an endearing torrent of acclaim from the audience.
Words: Derek Robertson
