Vessels - 'White Fields And Open Devices' (Cuckundoo) Released 18/08/08

If Vessels were a work of fiction, they’d have no choice but to opt for the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde template. Cowering in the corner like an introspective cousin of ‘Spirit of Eden’-era Talk Talk one moment, foaming at the mouth like a pack of rampaging hounds the next, the Leeds five-piece’s dynamite debut, recorded in Minnesota with famed alt. rock producer John Congleton, showcases an impressively surefooted combo unwilling to be pinned down to a particular sound, mood or style.

It’s a good move. By opting to focus on predominantly instrumental post-rock, all sky-scraping guitars and gradual build-ups of intensity and volume, the quintet tempts catching the diminishing returns virus that’s been lately ravaging such stalwarts of the genre as Explosions in the Sky (an audible inspiration here). Vessels, however, chuck a pinch of electronica, a dollop of metallic oomph, a hint of folk and, most importantly, an ounce or two of immensely rewarding, “proper” (i.e. there’s vocals, choruses and everything) songcraft to the pot. The result is a diverse mix that’s guaranteed to command attention even after the initial thrill of the quiet/loud dynamics that define the band’s live shows wears off.

That said, the more hyperactively twitchy moments during the opening third of ‘White Fields and Open Devices’ sail a bit too close to the busiest technical excellence excesses of Battles. Then again, you’d have to be a bit of an idiot to tell a band off for having too many ideas when so many outfits make it through their lifespan without packing any of their own, especially as Vessels’ fondness for squeezing in the maximum amount of moves on each track produces such sterling results during the vast majority of the platter.

Of live favourites, the majestic ‘Look at That Cloud!’ provides a masterpiece of mood-building, alternating between sweet melody and crunching distortion, and hopping effortlessly from fragile restraint to pedal-stomping, muscle-flexing fury. At the opposite end of the decibel scale, the sparse, slow-motion ache of ‘Walking Through Walls’ is a jaw-dropping jewel of melancholy-soaked sadness. Rerecorded take on debut single ‘Yuki’ is even better, a graceful lament not that far from the ambient sighs of Stars of the Lid, driven to hypnotic heights by an unforgettable piano melody. ‘Two Words and a Gesture’ might be the best thing here, an embarrassment of hooks – the swirling drum and keyboard breakdown is particularly dazzling – with just the kind of immense tune post-rockers are routinely lambasted for being incapable of crafting.

But Vessels aren’t exactly a post-rock band. They’re that rarest of things, an entirely category-proof outfit capable of constructing a carefully calibrated cocktail of extremes that somehow, near-miraculously fit perfectly together. Get on board. You won’t regret it.