Radian Chimeric

• Words: Patric Fallon
• Label: Thrill Jockey
• XLR8R Rating: 7.5/10

Radian are no strangers to deconstruction. Through past albums like 2002's rec.extern and 2004's Juxtaposition, the Austrian trio has taken apart every aspect of their band—rhythm, melody, and songwriting—and rebuilt themselves into a glitchy, experimental post-rock outfit that defies categorization. Five years later, Radian has set out to dismantle the rock band on their latest release, Chimeric, an album built on the foundation of distorted textures, piercing feedback, and cut-and-pasted drum patterns made from recordings rearranged and reimagined to fit their syncopated rhythms. Ten-minute epic "Feedbackmikro/City Lights" is a standout journey through pattering percussive noises, inverted guitar textures, and atmospheric elements that eventually coalesce into a fully realized composition. Simply put, Chimeric ups the ante for inventive instrumental music.