Rising as a genre in the '90s, post-pock is a form of indie rock, often instrumental, that emphasizes dynamics and mood. Although primarily performed on traditional rock instruments, post-pock's sound often mimics the dramatic build-ups of classical music. At the same time, the looseness and improvisation of jazz are regularly implemented into the post-rock sound. With roots in 1970s Kraut rock, post-rock evolved from the spacious chamber rock of later Talk Talk and the Slow Core of Slint, coalescing in the mid-90s with Tortoise. Godspeed You! Black Emperor is currently the genre's most influential band.
Post-rock is greatly indebted to a loose affiliation of German bands from the '70s whose music has been dubbed Kraut rock. Acts such as Can, Neu!, Faust, and Cluster all utilized experimentation and improvisation to create rock music that stretched its boundaries, generally eschewing verse-chorus-verse structures in favor of extended jams or explorations of new sonic textures. Also at the roots of post-rock were the '80s explorations of noise rock group Sonic Youth and shoegaze band My Bloody Valentine.
Two key albums from 1991 inspired future post-rock efforts: Talk Talk's final record, 1991's Laughing Stock, and Slint's sophomore swan song, Spiderland. The term post-rock was first used in a modern context by journalist Simon Reynolds in a review of Bark Psychosis' 1994 album, Hex. Stereolab introduced a lounge-pop variant of post-rock during this time, while Gastr Del Sol were more purely experimental. Cul de Sac, meanwhile, borrowed eclectically from kraut rock to folk for their post-rock sound.
In 1996, Chicago band Tortoise released their second album, Millions Now Living Will Never Die. Featuring ex-Slint member David Pajo, the instrumental rock band's use of jazz phrasings and electronic experimentation became the blueprint for the burgeoning post-rock sound. When Scottish group Mogwai debuted with Young Team in 1997, they placed greater emphasis on dynamics and a somber mood. Tortoise's success tapered off after Pajo left in 1998, while Mogwai has remained influential.
The strongest contributor to the contemporary post-rock sound is the Canadian ensemble Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who utilize classical string instruments, the guitars and drums of rock, and various found sounds to create their dark, dramatic music. Their double-disc release from 2000, Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven, established the sound of post-pock in the 21st century.
Texas quartet Explosions In The Sky rely only on two guitars, bass, and drums for their grand, dynamic sound. Their third record, 2003's The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place, is the band's masterpiece and has influenced even newer post-rock acts of today.
- Slint
- Bark Psychosis
- Gastr Del Sol
- Tortoise
- Mogwai
- Cul De Sac
- The Dirty Three
- The Sea And Cake
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- Explosions In The Sky
- Do Make Say Think
- A Silver Mt. Zion
- The Album Leaf
- Gregor Samsa
- Japancakes
- Labradford
- Red Sparowes
- Sigur Ros