Released: May 28, 2024
Somewhere along the way, Beak> became more than just ‘another side-project’ for Portishead’s Geoff Barrow. After a decade of steady momentum via a string of critically-acclaimed releases and ‘must see’ tours, the band’s impeccable reputation and rising profile felt well-deserved. Now, you might think that this is where the band had earned the right to cash in on their hard-earned success, but, well, that’s not how these lads roll. Instead, their latest album >>>> is a defiant leap forward into the experimental fringes, a dense and challenging work that the band has called “one for the heads.”
From the insta-drop, sans-promotion release to the general disinterest in crafting anything remotely self-referential, Barrow, along with Billy Fuller (bass) and Will Young (keyboards), seems to have taken a ‘back to the drawing board’ approach with >>>>. The result is a record that feels like a new beginning of sorts for the Bristol-based trio.
The first thing long-time listeners will notice is Barrow, whose singing adopts a newfound clarity and prominence. Gone are the murky, oft-buried vocals of previous albums, replaced by a more direct delivery that adds a fresh dimension to the band’s sound. That’s not to say the Beak> has abandoned their experimental tendencies–they haven’t at all. But where the trio’s debut poked, prodded, and occasionally tested listeners (and their patience), >>>> plays the siren, opting for a more seductive approach.
Below are my track-by-track thoughts:
- “Strawberry Line” – An eight-minute opus that sets the tone for the entire album, “Strawberry Line” begins with a somber organ vamp and Barrow’s hazy vocals, riding a wave of tension until the whole band arrives at the four-minute mark. The whole thing makes for a pretty bold statement of intent–>>>> is not afraid to challenge expectations.
Side Note: The track is dedicated to Barrow’s dog, Alfie, immortalized on the brilliant album cover.
- “The Seal” – Pairing a Can-esque drum groove with some of the album’s most hypnotic instrumentation, “The Seal” finds the trio flexing their krautrock influences and in the process, delivering one of the album’s most stage-ready moments.
Side Note: Beginning with a ridiculous fill from Barrow and an equally effective countermelody, the final minute of this track is a fusion masterclass.
- “Windmill Hill” – A brief but potent interlude, “Windmill Hill” makes for an effective palate cleanser between a couple of the album’s longer tracks.
Side Note: Once again, the instrumental interplay feels like something you might’ve heard on a Return to Forever album.
- “Denim” – “Denim” is a slow-burning odyssey that perfectly encapsulates BEAK>’s knack for crafting immersive soundscapes. The plucky synths and Barrow’s sparse vocals create a sense of unease that builds throughout its runtime–good stuff!
Side Note: Can’t help but love the feedback-drenched guitar that guides the song’s final act.
- “Hungry Are We” – Another pleasant surprise, “Hungry Are We” finds BEAK> channeling Meddle-era Floyd, ruminating on existence through a psychedelic-folk lens. The song is a masterclass in prog-inspired songwriting (that synth solo!) and features some of the Barrow’s strongest vocal work to date.
Side Note: This might be the album’s best example of just how far the trio has evolved.
- “Ah Yeh” – A welcome burst of energy to the album’s second half thanks to the funk-tinged rhythm and insanely catchy vocal, “Ah Yeh” is easily the most immediately accessible, playlist-ready track here.
Side Note: The outro feels like it could go on for another ten minutes…and it probably will when the band plays this live.
- “Bloody Miles” – Arriving on the back of a choppy synth, “Bloody Miles” soon careens into yet another groove-fest, its swaggering rhythm and industrial edge nudging this otherwise moody track into danceable territory.
Side Note: The pulsing bassline (both here and on the rest of the album) is beyond infectious and a welcome addition to the band’s typically treble-heavy sound.
- “Secrets” – The minimalistic synth-pop of “Secrets” hearkens back to the golden age of new wave, a time when sterile beats and post-apocalyptic pads reigned supreme. The band builds an appropriately chaotic soundscape while Barrow admits, “And I know, we are different.” A whole album of just this would be sublime.
Side Note: For some reason, the main synth line got me thinking about Knight Rider–not a bad thing, per se (I mean, who doesn’t love Knight Rider), but I apologize if you can’t stop thinking about KITT flying down the road when listening to this song.
- “Cellophane” – The album-closing “Cellophane” is a slow-burn epic and a fitting bookend to >>>>. Barrow and Co. drag the tempo way down, leaving massive pockets of space for the crashing waves of synth and rolling drum fills. This rock-tinged finale showcases BEAK>’s mastery of tension and release, building to a surprising shift in the closing minutes that perfectly encapsulates the band’s ability to subvert expectations.
Side Note: For a band that relies so heavily on synthetic sounds, Beak> has become an incredible ‘band,’ something that this track demonstrates in spades.
Brooding yet hopeful, uncompromising, but also reaching for a new level of accessibility, >>>> is a satisfyingly complicated album from a band that’s unafraid to deal in contradictions. It’s also Beak>’s most focused collection of songs to date– hardly the work of a diversionary side-project. It’s hard to imagine Beak> opening for, say, someone on the level of Tay Tay, but, hey, stranger things have happened. If the trio keeps releasing proggy dystopian masterpieces, they’re all but certain to outgrow their KEXP-sized pond.
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