Mogwai - Batcat (Wall Of Sound)

Glasgow’s Mogwai, seminal post-rocksters and shunners of lyrics, have been responsible for more than their fair share of incidental music, so it is nice to see them return the favour and pen this tribute to the cartoon within a cartoon character from ‘Charlie and Lola’… (whispering and muttering in background followed by the loud exclamation “are you sure it’s nothing to do with that? Okay, but I’ve written it now, so it stays in.”) Ahem. Taken from the new album, ‘The Hawk Is Howling’, John Cummings song that has nothing to do with quirky Cbeebies cartoon is as dense as a new born black hole or your average BNP supporter… see if that doesn’t upset someone.

Making up the core of this five minute plus stoner epic from John Cummings is a huge barrage of fuzzed up guitars and Kyuss heavy bass - a real Brontosaurus of hardcore noise that betrays their My Bloody Valentine influences but also demonstrates an ability to wade in belligerently that most climax-rock bands lack.

Around this core flutter less heavy but still weighty riffs a la Pelican, skirting the event horizon before being sucked into the atom crushing heart. The pulse, however, is not as ponderous as you’d expect - the bpm’s are light, almost poppy, lending the track some unexpected lightness - a corona if you will. But the critical mass is inescapable and, quite frankly, inviting. Wall of sound? Hole in sound, with a melody on the edge of forever.