Whether it’s the euphoria inducing heights recently hit by Fuck Buttons, or the muscular peaks and jagged textures perfected by Battles, instrumental noise rock is certainly enjoying its time in the spotlight. For those veterans who’ve been manning the frontline for years, the battle against the dictatorial dominance of the two-minute, three-chord pop song must certainly feel like it’s entering a new phase with wave after wave of fresh-faced believers appearing in the rank and file.
It’s among the new guard that we find Growing with Lateral; the Brooklyn based band’s debut release for those fine psychedelic noiseniks over at The Social Registry. Clocking in at a brief 20 minutes, Lateral is a gleaming exercise in sonic restraint that lodges itself between the globe-trotting voodoo workouts of past tour mates Gang Gang Dance and the come-down excursions of Kompakt’s Pop Ambient series.
Opener ‘Swell’ does exactly as advertised, with pulsating swells of warm electronic tones echoing the less structured moments of Panda Bear’s recent solo forays. ‘First Contact’ slowly unravels into a static drone that eventually twists itself into the dense, pounding, mechanical clockwork of ‘Lateral’. Though those searching for the cathartic release of an ‘Atlas’ should look to other horizons. Growing specialise in an audio minimalism that doesn’t so much confront as it slowly fills in the empty spaces when you’re not looking.
Taken on its own terms, Lateral is a selection of finely-crafted sound sculptures that should rightfully be embraced and championed by all the new noise kids dusting off those Silver Apples records found at the back of the shelves at the local used record shop. Time to surrender to the new noise then? Probably, because with the sounds of Growing and their like-minded comrades-in-arms, it looks like it’s here to stay.

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This record rips.
GORGEOUS.
'new guard'
haven't Growing been at it for years? I'm sure they had albums out on Kranky a few years ago! (quick check on generic on-line encyclopaedia, comes back grinning)
er...re-read the review..
"For those VETERANS who’ve been manning the frontline for years, the battle against the dictatorial dominance of the two-minute, three-chord pop song must certainly feel like it’s entering a new phase with wave after wave of fresh-faced believers appearing in the rank and file."
but then it says
amongst the new guard we find growing....
hmm...
I read it as meaning the sound of the new record places them among newer acts such as GGD, Excepter etc. It's not very clear is it?
I thought they were one of the most pointless bands ever when I saw them a while ago, but I quite enjoy them now. I'm looking forward to hearing this.
ahem...
I did indeed mean among a new guard from this past decade like GGD, Excepter and so on. By veterans, I meant more people like those old folks in Sonic Youth, Glenn Branca etc. Sorry for any confusion.
this review is crap
"It’s among the new guard that we find Growing with Lateral; the Brooklyn based band’s debut release for those fine psychedelic noiseniks over at The Social Registry."
whats that mean? is it their debut release?
i swear i already own 5 cd's and one vinyl by them.
QUIET, TOSSPOT
Means what it says: debut album release for The Social Registry - significant because they've tended to favour more DIY approach previously.
Either way, hardly like they're a household name, eh?
why try and be clever...
why not say what you see.
"the Brooklyn based band’s first release on The Social Registry."
i read it as the bands first release aimed at those fine psychedelic noiseniks at the social registry. like all noiseniks hang out over at the social registry.
its a cool place, they got pens so you can register.