Much of Europe goes on vacation in August, so there’s no better time to release an album about “adventure, travel, and the journey of life.” The Leeds post-rock quintet Din of Celestial Birds hopes their album will be the soundtrack to many road trips, ocean voyages and international flights. The music is not only good for Takeoffs & Landings, but the time in-between. As festival season approaches, one of these trips may be to see the band in person.
There’s not a second to waste as the band jumps right into it with three guitars, synth, bass and drums. The music is upbeat and punchy, adding a secret weapon: this is also post-rock that one can dance to, despite its metal overtones; a keen sense of rhythm calls fans out of the mosh pit and onto the main floor. One suspects that this aspect of the music is largely responsible for the band’s swiftly-growing reputation as a stellar live act. At 3:11, “Takeoffs & Landings” is also the rare post-rock track that qualifies as a radio single.
While the music is largely aggressive, veering from post-rock to math rock to progressive rock, the moments of dynamic contrast stand out. One of these arrives early in “Marmoris” when the music calms down enough for one to hear the sounds of the shore. As the bank of guitars resurfaces and the drummer viciously attacks his drums, a sense of catharsis is palpable. The well-named “When Suddenly …” races out of the gate like the opener, then stops at 2:06; for a split-second, one thinks the track has ended, when suddenly it shifts gears to establish a base of solo piano upon which all the other instruments will build; a light choir lifts the track to the stratosphere.
Two of the best tracks also contain the best post-rock titles. The first of these is “From This Summit We Can See The Heavens & Stars,” whose opening minutes are remarkably restrained, to the extent that one wonders if the track had been considered for the opening slot. The attack arrives at 2:32 in a melodic, metallic surge. This is followed by a mini-synth breakdown at 3:10, which leads to a drum roll and the summit of the title; then at 5:08, just as the track is ending, an even higher peak. Highlight “I Hope That Road Leads You Somewhere Beautiful, Somewhere You Belong” succeeds with subtlety rather than bombast; reflecting its title, the music seems slightly melancholic, a love letter to the listener. August is not only the month for vacations, but transitions, implying endings and goodbyes. This piece speaks directly to the heart, setting up the multi-toned farewell finale, “Second Star To The Right, and Straight On ‘Til Morning.” Soon the vacations will be over, the kids will be back at school, and the earth will tumble farther from the sun, but not yet; may we cherish these halcyon weeks of takeoffs and landings while we still have them. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 