Having played a huge part in shaping that hybrid that balances between shoegaze and post rock, all that in a time when post rock was getting its shape and Britpop thrived throughout the world, maybe Flying Saucer Attack haven't been celebrated like they deserve.
In their early years as a duo, Bristol's Flying Saucer Attack consisting of David Pearce and Rachel Brook, released at least a couple of landmark albums and justly associated their name with the birth of post rock, but right after Brook left in 1996, Pearce continued as the sole mind behind FSA and released another couple of records that may be fascinating for the fans of the band and the genre, they generally got quite overlooked though.
It's been fifteen whole years since then and David Pearce, continuing as FSA's sole member, releases a record of instrumentals, aptly titled Instrumentals 2015, all recorded by Pearce at home as hometapes and CD-Rs, all entirely on guitar. As you'd expect, here you'd find every aspect of FSA's music, from space rock to post rock, through droning ambient experimentation, guitar feedback, echoes and noise. As much as pleasing it is to see the legendary FSA back in action, one can't help but notice how Instrumentals 2015 falls short compared to the iconic records they've put out in the past. Though by far different than the bunch of reunions of the most distinguished shoegaze bands of the past, FSA's overwhelming return has this strange desolate charm which is enough to justify its presence among today's most interesting releases.
The video below is directed by the acclaimed British director Peter Strickland.
ZR