Flux and Form

Before getting down to business I have to admit that I normally reserve a healthy skepticism when it comes to instrumental groups. They usually strike me as being fascinated with their own self importance and too often tarnish their music with their eagerness to sound interesting or cool. Not so with Tracer AMC. Right from the opening ‘Some Electric’, with the hauntingly beautiful violin of guest performer Beth Winter, the Belfast based group deliver their mission statement – prepare to change your preconceptions! Flux And Form is the quartet’s debut album and there’s a refreshing naivety to their work that sees them create swirling melodies and rhythms spinning around well defined guitar phrases. The ensemble remain unpretentious about their work and are too busy creating melodic symphonies to indulge in naval gazing. They’ve been compared to the likes of Mogwai and Tortoise, but listening to the title track and the brilliant ‘Catherine Holly’ it’s groups like Doves or La Rocca that immediately spring to mind. Winter returns to make ‘Blue Thread’ the standout track, as guitar, violin and glockenspiel weave in and out in a carefully choreographed dance.