Department – Shape Decay (Laboratory Records)

This is Department’s second album on their own Laboratory label. A duo from Lalor in Victoria, they delight in gorgeous highly sheened experimental works, proving that experimental music need not necessarily be displeasing to the senses. There are strong links to ambient music, lush drifting cinematic atmospheres, with conventional instrumentation often used as sound objects, though there are some vague connections to post rock once the guitar becomes melodic and the drums kick in. The production is lush and vivid, widescreen sonics that combined with the duo’ sombre gestures manage to tap right into the emotions. It’s apparently a concept album on the fragility of life and death and Department tackle each piece with the emotive gravity and at times grandeur that it deserves. It’s dark cool and somewhat mysterious work as Department manage to gulf the divide between ambient experimentalism and avant rock without becoming abrasive or falling into well worn clichés