Pivot: In The Blood

Alongside the likes of Numbers and Holy Fuck, Aussie trio Pivot is one of the rare bands to successfully join abstract electronics and post-rock. With their latest, that talent is on full display. The programming is epic ’80s, the drums are punchy but not overwhelming, and the guitar sound is righteous and fuzzy throughout the two originals on the In the Blood EP. They succeed where acts like Adult. and Fuck Buttons fall into boredom. Rustie (also a recent acquisition by Warp) turns the title track into a choice dubstep thumper on par with a more passionate Benga, while Chris Clark puts his stamp on a track that doesn’t appear here in its unaltered form. Their upcoming sophomore record should do as well as the average of its hybrid drone-rock peers, but it will be one fans will have to look for. The mainstream crossover appeal here is quite limited and the indie press is busy blowing No Age right now. Time will tell if we’re ready for them.