There’s a moment on “Human Qualities”, the second track on post-rock titans Explosions in the Sky’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, where the militaristic drums slowly fade out, and silence seeps into the mix. It’s a moment when you just know the band is about to explode back into volume with an assault of ringing guitars and pounding toms. Only, it doesn’t happen. Instead, the song drifts into ambience, with softly clattering and programmed percussion melting into reverb-laden, clean guitars and completely fluid bass tones.
Yes, the band reach the climax later on, with the final minute of the track making good use of distortion and an abused snare drum. However, it’s that unexpected bridge that gives listeners the best point of entry into the way Explosions in the Sky decided to continue the slow alteration of its formula, begun on 2007’s All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone and carried further into fruition here on this new record.