Album Review: O Soundtrack My Heart by Pivot

Pivot are already feted back home in Australia for the rich, art-noise sounds of their 2005 debut, Make Me Love You; this is their first international release, following Warp's decidedly enthusiastic offer of a 16-album deal. Like all the best instrumental music, it's evocative stuff: the trio's multi-layered blend of vintage synths, skittering beats and crashing post-rock instrumentation keeps your mind's eye busy with images of futuristic cityscapes, gallant space troopers and, on the riotous title track, Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis teaming up to battle Rage Against the Machine for sonic supremacy. Autechre, Squarepusher and Aphex Twin are all obvious comparisons, and this is certainly the kind of music folk will listen to while wearing expensive headphones.

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Their recent inclusion on the Warp roster has garnered Pivot numerous comparisons to that label's forward-thinking electronic acts, such as Autechre, as well as more recent full-band signings like Battles. Both of these comparisons are true to some extent, but neither really hits the mark. Pivot lack the frenetic energy that comes to mind at mention of Battles, and they definitely do not share the extremely experimental aspects of Autechre.

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