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The word minimalism is used a lot to describe Disappears, the mezmerizing Chicago quartet that dropped its new album, Lux (Kranky), in April.
Yes, Disappears’ music carries a sense of simplicity. Its sound is reminiscent of both ’60s garage rock and ’70s krautrock. And yes, Disappears’ songs rarely stretch beyond the 3:30-minute mark.
But Disappears does not conform to the tropes of minimalism. The 10 tunes on Lux are drenched in reverb yet tuneful all the same. Songs like “Little Ghost” and “Lux” bathe in apocalyptic aural aesthetics that are unusually calming, while tunes like “Pearly Gates” and “Old Friend” steam ahead with the kind of chug-a-chug-a energy reminiscent of the best pop-punk tunes.
Yes, Disappears is a band that dabbles in minimalism. But, Disappears is also a band that doesn’t minimally employ sound when making music.
Disappears performs with Woven Bones tonight at 9 p.m. at the Black Cat. $10.