I first learned of No Respect For Beauty about a year ago as their demo seemed to be all the rage among Hongdae musicians. Even so it took me quite a while to look them up, but when I finally did I was met by gorgeous, gorgeous post-rock. In February this year the trio released their first full-length album on Pastel Music.

Why Perish opens beautifully with “Declaration of Existence” — a thick layer of drone-like tremolo with drums advancing the composition. The track flows seamlessly into the next, and that’s where all the post-rock goodness really kicks off.

One song after the other No Respect For Beauty offer a wonderous instrumental soundscape that lends itself remarkably well as a soundtrack to the view passing outside the window during a train ride. This may be true for any well crafted post-rock tune, which is also why I’m so fond of the genre itself, but No Respect For Beauty bring something extra to the table. They take the classic post-rock timbre, let it build the guitar sound walls so often heard in the best of shoegaze and on occasion extend it even further into ambient noise.

The band also possess a definite sense of melody that makes every track a treat in its own way. Like the marvelous guitar strand in “I Am A Shadow” that evokes emotions such that I can just barely maintain a composed image while I continue listening. Why Perish  is one of the best releases in the genre I’ve heard in recent years. It makes me wish that train ride would last at least a few hours more. Strongly recommended!

 
No Respect for Beauty on Facebook
No Respect for Beauty on Twitter