Merseyside maestros Kusanagi have nestled into the consciousness of the UK’s post-rock underground for a number of years having appeared at genres most sacred congregations which has given them the rightfully earned confidence to invite us on this conceptual expedition through the medium of expertly crafted progressive post-rock. The albums concept of the planes between dream and reality are well suited and expertly realised through the Kusanagi core sound where imagination runs rampant into outer space in similar fashion to 65daysofstatic and their contribution to the world building of video game No Mans Sky.
Opening track ‘Night Symmetry’ feels like the grandiose launch of a vessel setting off for grand exploration as the emphatic drums builds with the introduction of sparkling guitars begin to build like an orchestra as Paramnesia comes to life and we leave our atmosphere to explore new pockets of human subconsciousness. Beautiful scaling guitars on ‘Polymorph’ are light and energetic, drops in pace are intriguing and crescendos are satisfying in ways which make bands like Din of Celestial Birds such addictive listening. The interplay between all instrumentals is spacious but not empty, hopping along with excitement to prevent any passage feeling hollow.
“A glittering post-rock wormhole, Paramnesia feels like taking off for the first time in Mass Effect”
The nuance for electronics is no mere decoration for Kusanagi as it is powerful sat-nav pulling them into directions of emotional discovery as gentle synths pitter patter there way through the fabric of the album helping us veer further into unexplored territory. Tracks like ‘Equilibria’ move in a delicate canter with electronics increasing in pace like signals in search of signs for life only to be left unanswered, perfectly recreating the dreamscape of fleeting thoughts and fractured memories.
The warm bass tones Dan Hunt leads the way on ‘Spacial Awareness’ ascending its walls and its steady wander serving as the beacon on which the light of all other instruments gather. Each guitar taking it turns to be centre stage before we reach somber ends. Dancing with confidence akin to And So I Watch You From Afar tracks like ‘Physics of Colour’ skip with elation like a grasshopper from blades of grass with a math rock approach mixed with the classic post-rock hallmarks with more weight to every snare hit and guitars are given the voice to wail. The album begins to shift through the emotions as we’re floating in the melancholic air with ominous expectation approaching and a conclusion of sheer directness to tee us up for the albums closer. A collection of relief and purification as ‘Dream Projector’ deliver a closer to nourish and truly culminate everything Kusanagi has to offer from the post-rock mastery to the math rock sensibilities tying together a narrative fully imagineered.
Post rocks profile across the world sees them destined to follow in the footsteps of Din of Celestial Birds and Million Moons and be sure to appear at Chinas Can Festival or Offside Festival where their is a fervent appetite for global post-rock. A glittering post-rock wormhole, Paramnesia feels like taking off for the first time in Mass Effect. Any purist would be a fool not to seek out Kusanagi and all forward thinking shows and festivals in the UK and beyond should welcome them as another jewel in the post-rock crown.