Post-rock, with its wonderfully amorphous sonic guidelines and cavalier willingness to push boundaries, has grown from its awkward infancy in the late ‘80s to become a respected and beloved genre. The ugly duckling born from psychedelia and a philosophy of musical anti-heroism now sees bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky mark the genre’s ascent by opening massive tours for Nine Inch Nails, scoring primetime television shows, and floating coyly at the top of many recently announced major festival bills. Somehow, while the mainstream’s span of attention has steadily eroded away beneath a current of reality television and increasingly vapid and disposable pop music, a genre built on the might of twenty minute instrumentals has found a serious foothold with true music fans.

While the aforementioned groups may still be a far cry from household names, their undeniable popularity is remarkable considering the art they make and respective career trajectories. So, as post-rock watches its star continue to rise alongside a crescendo of delay-drenched guitars, it’s important to take note of those that came before, namely Scotland’s Mogwai: The band that arguably perfected post-rock as we know it today.

Mogwai will be performing in Miami on April 29, and while the it is certainly not hurting for fans at this point in its career, the Glaswegian-bred band’s influence is still greatly under-appreciated — especially considering that it has been building hypnotic, monolithic masterpieces of post-rock since the mid ‘90s.

Now 8 records deep into its career, Mogwai is still evolving musically without making drastic alterations to its sound. With the release of Rave Tapes earlier this year, the band has successfully maintained the integrity of its discography while avoiding the repetition that plagues most artists with similarly lengthy careers. Perhaps what makes Mogwai’s music so potent is its uncanny ability to convey the full weight of emotion without the use of vocals, operating within engrossing sonic environments and building walls of effect. For those looking for a starting point within the band’s output, we recommend the now classic Happy Songs for Happy People as it is a prime example of Mogwai’s ability to remove the listener from the moment with a signature, cinematic flare.

As live performances go, a Mogwai date in Miami is a rare opportunity not to be missed, and has been described by zealous fans as religious experience. Your chance to ensconce your senses in blooming instrumentals will be on Tuesday, April 29, at Grand Central, Miami. Supported by Majeure, the alter ego of A.E. Paterra, multi-tasking extraordinaire and one-half of progressive krautrock duo Zombi.

~ David Von Bader

Tickets  |  More info: http://grandcentralmiami.com

GRAND CENTRAL | 697 N MIAMI AVE | DOWNTOWN MIAMI | 305.377.2277