RANGES // BABEL - DARK SILVER / BLACK MARBLED VINYL (2LP)

RANGES // BABEL - DARK SILVER / BLACK MARBLED VINYL (2LP)

RELEASE DATE: 30th Sept 2019

Modern post-rock has grown into a global network of like-minded, dedicated artists and fans, and within this new landscape Bozeman, Montana’s RANGES are leading the way in establishing conceptual foundations and executing final products. From their unassuming inception as a studio project to their rise as a respected independent band, to their emergence as a force to be reckoned with sporting multi-record thematics, RANGES have demonstrated perpetual growth in terms of composition and vision. The past few years have seen them blossom in ways that mirror the trajectory of post-rock’s new era; they are a band that understands the value of blending the freedom of DIY artistry with the professionalism of a successful business operation. They have recognized what it means to be truly connected with fans and fellow musicians, to build from the interior the most utopian version of a scene that is unlikely to intertwine with the mainstream; with this understanding comes the realization that they can make of this whatever they wish to see and hear. They have taken the reigns in determining that there should be no ceiling too high, no ideas too large to explore. Armed with this ambitious vision and the ability to implement it, RANGES are primed to unveil the next chapter of their ever-expanding story with the new record Babel, releasing September 30th from A Thousand Arms (US), dunk!records (EU), Bird’s Robe Records (AU), and LeRock Psicophonique (SA).

If The Ascensionist represented the long climb to the mountaintop, Babel outlines the first inspiring views of everything that lies on the other side. This record maintains the sonic threads of its predecessor but expands upon them as it treads upon grander soundscapes with escalating confidence, propelling forward with a cemented identity and commitment to its aesthetic.

It stands to be noted that in a genre short on vocals, it takes something extra to craft a sound that that is instantly recognizable, but that’s exactly the place that RANGES have arrived. Over a wildly prolific stretch of nine releases in five years, the band have established themselves as one that you know the moment you hear them. The weighty rhythm guitars and bass, distinctive lead melodies soaring just overhead, and muscular mid-tempo holding it all together, all of these have coalesced into a unique presentation that is unmistakable. The greatest strength of Babel is the way in which the band have made small but integral adjustments to their flourishing formula to create heightened dynamics and dramatic thrusts within the established framework.

Observe crucial moments like the mid-song momentum shift in “Idolator,” with its driving percussion and deliberately forceful and impactful chord progression; the huge crescendo that concludes “Avarice;” the sweeping, dramatic melodies of “Decadence” and “Revelation.” In these spaces you’ll find RANGES honing their craft and pinpointing areas where they can build their sound into something even more expressive and provocative than what’s come before. Too often bands think about re-inventing what they want to be without perfecting what they already are; with Babel, RANGES successfully continue their tireless pursuit of crafting the most pristine vision of the sonic aesthetic that’s made them a fan favorite in the new era of post-rock. This is indeed their finest effort to date, as well as another sworn promise to their growing fanbase that they can be relied upon to deliver every time out.

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