Sometimes one might stumble across an album that is so elegantly seductive that you do not even notice your own inner excitement about it. When then recognizing the latter and being unable to explain why – then you might be listening to Megafauna, the new record by Math-Post-Rock magicians And So I Watch You From Afar

This Pandemic-born record is not an easy one for me to review for various reasons: The record is (obviously) an instrumental one, so there is no lyrical concept I could explain or cling to, which is one of my favorite ways. One the other hand I also try to stay away from talking too much about musical nuances or scales or tunings, as I do not know enough about such detailed things anyway. But I think there is another way of trying to talk about the new record by the Northern Irish band, their ninth in roughly 20 years of existence: By displaying its applicability.

Let’s imagine you are on your drive to this year’s vacation home somewhere and need to find a record to listen to, something uplifting, which nobody will automatically want to interrupt. Just put on Megafauna and enjoy the feel-good-hit-of-the-summer, the (basically) title-track and opener ”North Coast Megafauna”. There is something really delightful in the opening guitar motif with its twangy ending, and just like the QOTSA ”Feel Good Hit…” there is something in this guitar opener that will not leave any head “un-nodding”. Even the moment when the metal pedal is driven to the metal maximum is interestingly similar but without the lyrical negativity. And throughout the album you can find many more great “hits” like for example both parts of ”Mother Belfast”

Second possible application: Skating or the gym. I think there will hardly be a more exhilarating record this year. There are so many great moments, when drummer Chris Wee simply brushes completely against the grain of the riffs, when his idea of where the song should go, completely contradicts the other instruments. And yet, there is always a certain sense of unity, of “this all belongs together”, for example when his rim-kicks seem way too steady for the immense quality of the guitar lines provided by Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy. And this is certainly a strength the quartet makes good use of. When we then enjoy ambient ride-along passages like in ”Mother Belfast Pt. 1” it prepares us for the sundowner-moment on our board into the sunset. Or we are helped and kicked through some tricky rails by ”Mother Belfast Pt. 2”.

Last and best possible usage in my opinion: Dear Michael Mann, if you ever were to do a sequel to your infamously famous Miami Vice movie, let ASIWYFA take the role that Mogwai had on the last OST. You will find songs that are even dance-able like ”Any Joy” even though you might need some really good dancers for that one. Or a track like ”Me and Dunbar” which might form a formidable background for one of the most explosive moments of your fictitious movie. The way you used ”Auto-Rock” could be a great idea for some of the tracks on Megafauna, too, because the tracks are clearly produced, intriguing, delightful and yet full of energy, power and that certain “kick” a good action movie needs!

I know this record is maybe not for everybody, but maybe one of the three ways to connect with the record might come handy for you? And even if not, because you do not skate or do not like action movies – if you give this record a chance with all its intriguing Math-Rock moments and exciting Post-Rock crescendos hidden within or behind some twists and turns, you will be rewarded with a smile on your face, two moving feet, an air-guitaring hand and nine awesome songs.