Patriot

Enhancing their blend of instrumental post-rock with electronic textures and microbeats, Cougar's second album, Patriot, paints the band somewhere between Tortoise and Ratatat. Fitting then, that they would end up on Counter Records, a subsidiary of the stylish instrumental hip-hop/electro label Ninja Tune (home to Amon Tobin, the Bug, and Roots Manuva). Aaron Sleator's beefy synth grooves meld with precise, intertwining guitar lines, courtesy of Dan Venne and Trent Johnson, while the bottom end is rounded out by the intricate rhythms of bassist Todd Hill and drummer David Henzie-Skogen. The musicians' skill-sets are impressive, but the depth of sonic layering is the real highlight of Patriot. The Wisconsin-based bandmates add a fair share of multi-track icing to the cake, laying it on thick with left-field instruments like the surdo, the dulcimer, and the cigar box guitar. Meanwhile, guest musicians weigh in as well with additional French horn, flute, clarinet, harp, and euphonium parts. Surprisingly, though, the songs never feel overloaded, even when James Murray and Amelia Royko take "Rhinelander" to an emotional climax with their bittersweet choirboy/choirgirl vocals. John McEntire -- who helped record Cougar's debut Law -- wasn't on board this time, but his presence is definitely felt. Besides the obvious Tortoise-isms (repetition, shifting signatures, builds and releases), the snapshot glitches bring to mind Mouse on Mars, and the lush backdrop doesn't feel too far off from a release by the Sea and Cake. Some moments venture too far into a pastoral setting, and almost fall into a new age/Windham Hill terrain, but when Cougar hits their mark, as they do with "Heavy into Jeff" and "Endings," the results are intense and stunning. ~ Jason Lymangrover