Masters of studio techniques and technology, their work reflects the Seventies heyday of Jamaican dub reggae as much as the cutting-edge scenes of the late Nineties. Now Living Will Never Die , their second full-length recording, the band looked even more deeply into themselves than they had on 1994's Tortoise . The result was a piece of work with all the technical proficiency of jazz-rock fusion or progressive rock, but none of the associated pomposity.
Notes softly dripping, one by one, the track balances on a sweet, vibraphone-led backing.
The slow guitar solo, A Survey , by contrast, is laid over a gentle bassline and immersed in the whisperings of rainforest insect life. Dear Grandma And Grandpa begins with a section of organ music from outer space, blooms into a deep, pulsing bass colored with distorted radio transmissions from astronauts unknown, then transmutes further into a chain of echoing synth moods. Dinner party music for the avant-garde maybe, but Tortoise are undeniably among the most intriguing musical practitioners of the Nineties. Their impeccable musical tastes and technical ability are highlighted by their minimalist blend of Krautrock, dub and tasteful jazz.