Because of their unusual and unique sound, British indie rock band Alt-J quickly rose to the top of the alternative music charts. The quartet formed in 2007 in Leeds, England after meeting each other at Leeds University. In 2012 they released their first album, “An Awesome Wave”, which began their success. Their newest album, “This is All Yours”, came out on September 24, 2014.
Alt-J’s music sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before. When I try to think of a band to compare them to, nothing comes to mind. Others describe them as “the new Radiohead” but I disagree; they create their own genre which I would describe as a mix between electronic, alternative and rock. They experiment with their music by taking chances and differing each song from the others. Alt-J plays around with their style and it would appear by their success that I’m not the only one who loves it.
On “An Awesome Wave”, the song “Breezeblocks” was a standout hit. The lead singer Joe Newman’s interesting vocals are clearly displayed in this track. This album also includes “Taro,” “Tessellate,” and “Dissolve Me,” some of my favorites. Alt-J new album shifts between upbeat songs like “Fitzpleasure” and slower ones like “Interlude 1.” The album includes songs with vocals as well as songs that are purely instrumental, creating an interesting balance and flow to the album.
Their most recent album “This is All Yours” showcases their fearlessness with experimenting, what they do best. The singles “Left Hand Free” and “Hunger of the Pine” gained more recognition than usual and were played on the radio, something almost unheard of for an indie band. “Hunger of the Pine” features Miley Cyrus, but instead of a complete set of her vocals, a small section of her song “4×4” repeats in the background. This subtle detail makes for an oddly wonderful sound. My personal favorite song from this album is “Warm Foothills” which has a soft, folk sound to it and mixes male and female vocals, something they had never attempted before (which turned out to be amazing). Other great songs include “The Gospel of John Hurt” and “Every Other Freckle.”
Named after the keys you press on a Mac computer to create a triangle symbol (∆), everything about this band can be described as unapologetically different. From their cooky, off-kilter lyrics to the cool use of instruments, Alt-J has become something extraordinary. I am excited to see what else they have in store for the future.
