Records of the Week

[THE] SLOWEST RUNNER [IN ALL THE WORLD]

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Allusions to the stringed frenzy and fervor of ancient Godspeed You! Black Emperor records have never sounded so modern. Along with other orchestral post-rocking brethren, including Nashville’s The Ascent of Everest and Italy’s Neil on Impression, Brooklyn’s [The] Slowest Runner [In All the World] are ushering in a welcome era in instrumental music — one in which an “RIYL: Godspeed” sticker does not necessarily mean the music within is built on reverence and saudade alone. Opener “Zoë Machete Control” plays itself out in movements, weaving its thoughtful way from a very well-crafted piano introduction, through electronic backdrops and spare interludes, piercing tremolos, and – after a descent into instrumental chaos and a chorus of unintelligible yelps (think fellow New Yorkers Sparrows Swarm and Sing) – a dénouement championed by violin. The instrumentation and ideation behind their sound is consistent throughout the album, which at just over 61 minutes politely asks for your patience and close attention. However, there are no filler sections, gimmicks, or typical post-rock track-length-boosters to be found. This is exemplified through interior tracks such as “Marsupial Patterns,” “Aembers/Guggenheim,” and the album’s title track. We, Burning Giraffes even pays homage to the traditional sampling of a preacher’s sermon to introduce closer “She Died in a Fit of Apoplexy”, but gracefully paints its brush strokes from such a broad palette, it proves more vibrant than the sum of its references.