Without fanfare or much notice, Beak>'s unexpected appearance is nothing short of a welcomed surprise. Since their inception, the Bristol (now) trio have offered an alternate approach to the meticulous arrangements and orchestrations of their close relative, Portishead. Their latest record, >>>> does not deviate from this path if anything doubling down on their live compositional and semi-improvisational approach. It is an organic approach, delivered without much rush or angst, that relies on the deep kinship between the three band members, verging on telepathy.
The foundation remains deeply embedded in the psychedelic domain, with Beak> coalescing two different forces. On the one hand, the subdued krautrock element provides a circular sense of repetition. Such echoes arrive from the very start of "Strawberry Lane," timidly at first, but fully blooming through the laid-back vocal delivery and especially the drumming. The follow-up with "The Seal" completely establishes this motif, calling upon Can's understated ecstasy and a meditative quality through the percussion in "Ah Yeh". It is a pathway that naturally opens up the music to components outside the rock domain. Electronic tinges wash over the compositions, crafting a more convincing and immersive ambiance for the opening track, before expanding further to the fantastic opening of "Bloody Miles."
On the other end, the psychedelic rock lineage lies heavy on >>>>. Where the krautrock approach offers a soothing touch, the psychedelic nature can become more abrasive. The twangy guitar strums of "Windmill Hill" sets this tone, and the extravagance only augments. The electronic component of "Secrets" becomes vibrant, leaving behind the earlier soothing tones for a heavy, quasi-industrial timbre. Even Beak>'s moments of hallucinogenic exploration have a certain edge here. The bassline's pomp in "Denim" and "Bloody Miles" break the earlier serenity, even as the vocals arrive with a soothing element delivery. And while Beak> offer moments of quieter introspection, as with the fantastical "Hungry We Are" where the delicate melodies transfer you adrift in some alien sea of consciousness, their heart lies in a stranger ideal. In this mode, the closing track of the record, "Cellophane" attempts to stretch the temporal domain, resulting in a moment where time (and clocks) begin to melt away as everything has slowed down to near glacial pacing.
>>>> is a triumphant return from Beak>, harnessing all the strangeness, delicacy, and experimentation that has defined the Bristol act. It feels like this is the closer that they have gotten to the magic of their 2012 full-length, Beak>>. And that is quite an accomplishment.
