Scottish post rock veterans Mogwai created their ninth studio album Every Country's Sun as a quartet since one of the founders, John Cummings, left them since the period of their last record Rave Tapes. Luckily, this didn't affect the quality of the album, but that was expected from the band with such an enormous experience. Every Country's Sun sounds kine a specific retrospective of their two decade career embellished with fresh music moments.
Melodic guitar and synth lines intertwine and generate a downtempo Coolverine, the album's opener. Party In The Dark is the type of a composition that we don't often have a chance to hear on the albums of this band. Melodic and sensual, with remarkable shoegaze vocals ad perfect pop melody are simply making you wonder why is it that Mogwai do not use vocals more often. (Mogwai is primarily known as instrumental band)
The familiar formula, silent sections that erupt into a powerful crescendos, is still there. Yet, Mogwai have expanded their music pallette and showed willingness to explore new music paths, which can be noticed with melancholic Brain Sweeties, kraut-rock Crossing The Road Material and slow core 20 Size.
The second half of the album is comprised of Don't Believe The Fife, Battered at a Scramble, Old Poison and closing title track, and they all offer guitar explosions and masterful crescendos. On Every Country's Sun, Mogwai have found an ideal ratio of the already known sonic ingredients and new sonic ingredients, a ratio that helped them cook a delicious album full of energy.
