Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Yanqui U.X.O.

5 Tracks? Over 74 minutes of music?

That’ll be **Godspeed You! Black Emperor then. (Note the stifling name change from Godspeed You Black Emperor! To Godspeed You! Bla… notice the change? Like musical spot the difference isn’t it? Revolution in an exclamation mark).

It almost goes without saying: this record is gorgeous, in every way. Deeply progressive and wonderfully dramatic soundscapes, created with musical romanticism and the original stylistic panache that Godspeed continue to develop with creative seniority.

Chilling at times, as it immerses you deeply into unfathomable epic locations, with violin quivers constantly shimmering against slow, pounding orchestral and synthesised cinematic overtones. If music is a building, then Godspeed You! Is a huge, twisting, overawing edifice that slowly makes your heart ready to burst.

If not for the music, the record is worth buying for the cover art and its message(s) alone. Flying Kittens and the ‘Hammer of Hope’, ‘Three rockets falling on rocket falls’ and a deeply critical analysis into the infrastructure of today’s major record industries and their affiliates.

In all, mesmerising, relevant and utterly essential.