Slow Riot For New Zerø Kanada

For me, this is the recording that started the whole love affair with post-rock (if that's what you want to call it).
It's the kind of listening experience that makes you have a revelation about music, like when you hear Charles Mingus and you think, "You can actually do that with music???" That's right: there are no rules.

Luckily some bands come along and remind us of that...like Godspeed You Black Emperor!

So what is it about this record that hits that sensitive spot? It's dark, moody, ambient, creepy, somber, but it has an underlying feeling of beauty and hope. Sure it's dark, but its focus is on the light that is present, no matter how little that might be. It's not a record about despair, it's a record about seeing beauty that is not immediately present that you otherwise might miss. It has an intense DIY aesthetic, so you get the feeling that despite lack of money, a record contract, brand-new instruments, etc., this music HAD to be made. GYBE! remind us of just how important music really is.