I stumbled upon The Forms when listening to the jogging playlist of Thrice bassist Riley Breckenridge. There’s a sense of clarity you get when running to music and hearing it for the first time, almost like all the thoughts in your brain dissipate and you are left with a fully blank canvas for the artist to paint on. It’s a wonderful experience frankly. I recommend it to anyone.
At any rate, along with being really good running music The Forms’ self-titled sophomore album (yes it’s a bit confusing) has a unique way of challenging you as a listener. It’s a tight, intricate burst of art-damaged indie rock leans into jagged time signatures and rhythmic shifts that seem to lurch forward and loop back without warning. The vocals curl around the arrangements in strange, beautiful ways, almost like another instrument rather than the focal point of a song. They’re clearly an aggro-art math rock group at heart. But despite all of their sharp edges and left turns they never feel too self-indulgent. It’s the kind of record that plays like a puzzle—restless and fidgety, but with a clear sense of purpose.
Standout Songs: “Knowledge In Hand”, “Bones”, “Transmission”
