Soaring through a World That Is New, That Is Free by ava

When albums are designed as an art piece meant to be digested all at once in one sitting, it can be hard to stay present and give it the attention that it needs, especially when its runtime is almost an hour. However, Soaring through a World That Is New, That Is Free by British post-rock band ava hits a sweet spot in this style of sound art through their use of interesting and engaging composition. The album, being about an emotional journey in 2022, captures this theme through the use of repetition. The artist uses blown-out, looping guitar, piano, and drum parts that, while repeating themselves, feel complex, dynamic, and dizzying. Through this, ava manages to capture a distinct sound similar to black midi, but without its jarringness. I haven’t heard a new album like this in a while, and i hope that this starts a wave of new British post-rock in our near future. -Julia