Back catalogue: Post Rock/Experimental

Review: RECOMMENDED
It has been 25 years since Mogwai first started their meteoric rise to alt rock deity status by wrapping listeners and audiences up in a deep, immersive, contemplative, euphoric post rock soundscape. During that time the outfit have only increased their following, and consistently proven themselves capable of developing genuinely unique, fresh ideas, while still staying true to that original sonic palette.

Those roots are now celebrated and re-released on this exclusive triple-vinyl package, which takes its lead from the already released E.P. +6. In fact, this new version has exactly the same contents - the first three Mogwai EPs from between 1997 and 1999 - but this time they are coming out on wax. Historically, these are among the most significant in their back catalogue, helping establish and then define a sound. In terms of rarity, you'll struggle to find 4 Satin, No Education = No Future (Fuck the Curfew) and E.P. on black plastic through any means other than this boxset.

Review: It's hard not to feel you're misusing words like 'auteurs' when talking about art. Nevertheless, for some artists and acts the term applies perfectly. And many people would likely agree that Mogwai are one for that list. After 25 years in the game, putting out ten studio albums including As the Love Continues, not to mention scores of EPs and more than a few movie scores, you can spot their signature a mile away, with just a hint of their sound.

As the Love does nothing to disprove that point, and all the better for it. It's a woozy mixture of sorrowful epics and life-affirming crescendos built from post-rock foundations, but divergent enough to send us into a hundred directions without really veering from that course. A sound bigger than most mountains, we hope they never get exhausted from the climb.

Review: Ask yourselves not whether Mogwai are just the tonic we all need in the middle of a particularly psychologically damaging pandemic. Instead, ask yourselves if there are any situations in which we don't need a new record from the Scottish space rock, post-rock, math-prog masters. Needless to say, then, As The Love Continues couldn't have arrived soon enough.

Marking the triumphant tenth LP, in many ways it's typical stuff from the band - commanding, epic, crashing, wooshing, flying, falling, loving, losing, dreamy guitar music that seems to open as many eyes as it does render listeners blind through sheer hypnosis. Packing some delightfully droll track titles to boot - for example 'F**k Off Money' - given most of us spent a good deal of time after the announcement last year wishing this would get here sooner it's our pleasure to confirm it's every bit worth the wait.