Gasgiant

Currently:

Not sure. They've gone slightly long-distance at the moment as Mik is back up in Inverness. They have gigged a few time this year. There is new stuff happening live.

Latest Album: An Uncertainty Principle, released November 2005

After 9 years of developing their music they recorded the second album An Uncertainty Principle whihc is also for sale here.

First Album: Alexander's Dark Band, released August 1999

Gasgiant recorded and released their first album: 'Alexander's Dark Band' on their own label Minker Records. Floppy Records started selling the album online in 2003.

Who are Gasgiant?

Gasgiant were formed in 1990 by Mike Wheeler and Ryan Hadnett (when they were 15) in Inverness. By 1994 the band were based in Edinburgh and have been gigging round Scotland ever since.

gasgiant are a terminally lazy, angular post-rock slo-sore band from edinburgh, scotland, but if you like: godspeed you black emperor, mogwai, sigur ros, do make say think, spiritualized, explosions in the sky you might like gasgiant.

Gasgiant are: Ryan Hadnett - guitar and vocals, Neil Watson - guitar, Mike Wheeler - drums, and 'Blade' Wilkinson - bass. Plus some other folk who come along when they play live, sometimes.

gasgiant reviews

'The Daddies of Edinburgh Post Rock' - Scotsman 2003

Stoner Rock, laid back indie guitar mong, "glacially-paced melodies in a style which we once called 'slow-core'" or "post-rock, melodic guitar music"

AngryApe
Gasgiant - An Uncertainty Principle

We Scots are proud of our musical heritage. Granted, we have unleashed some god-awful bands on an undeserving world. But for every Proclaimers we’ve given a Mogwai or Aereogramme, for every Del Amitri there has been a Primal Scream or The Jesus & Mary Chain – and you cannot blame us for Snow Patrol, they are Irish and just happened to re-locate to our land.

You get the picture; Scottish music has helped shape and define numerous scenes and genres. From the C86 sounds of BMX Bandits and The Cocteau Twins' ethereal shoegaze through to Alan McGee’s Britpop revolution and Mogwai’s classic quiet/loud post-rock formula. For such a small nation, Scotland ’s output is nothing short of exceptional.

Enter Gasgiant, another Scottish instrumental outfit. Accusations of plagiarism cannot, however, be leveled at this Edinburgh-based group. These guys (and one girl) are no thieves; they have been around for a long, long time. Almost 17 years to be exact, round about the time Kurt Cobain was in the process of defining an era with a song about an obscure deodorant. Gasgiant have been there from the outset, even supporting Mogwai way back in their early Wurlitzer Jukebox days.

Besides their brand of instrumental music shares more in common with early 90’s bands like Sonic Youth and Swervedriver than any current trend, while their explosive nature points to influences of

seminal outfits like Codeine and The God Machine. However, a nomadic existence and revolving-door line-up has hindered this band’s progress. They have managed to record just two albums in their career. Such a timescale between releases makes even Axl Rose look prolific.

But Gasgiant are unconcerned with such trivial matters. The compositions on “An Uncertainty Principle” emanate with a real aura of vast, wide open spaces within their searching instrumental sound. The guitars are suitably stentorian, the percussion robust and dynamic and the songwriting absolutely narcotic. This band gets on with things in an unassuming manner, devoid of any of the self-importance that mars countless other acts.

The superb, slow-burning “Slocore” layers varying chord sequences and tranquil guitar notes over subtle percussion for several minutes. Crucially, there is direction to such a piece, the band do not go for the jugular immediately, instead prefer to let their music breathe. But when they do crank up the drama, the result is like been hit with a tonne of bricks. There are parts of “Slocore” that explode so venomously that you are aware that you are almost willing Gasgiant to let go, during the build-up. When they hit 6th gear it’s more than worth the wait, recalling the sprawling parts of Sonic Youth’s “Daydream Nation” and “Goo” albums.

A number of tracks run like this, lushly layered guitar interplay around a brooding framework, followed by volleys of distorted vitriol. Perhaps this is where “An Uncertainty Principle” loses some points. But on tracks like “Opium” the guitar work is simply mesmeric, while the underlying orchestration in “Coppafeel” and “Math4stupid” compliments the elastic nature of Gasgiant’s sound perfectly.

Elsewhere, key psychedelic influences can be heard in numbers like “Loverboy”, "Are We All In?" and the sinister “Untitled”, implying there is more to this band than meets the eye.

“An Uncertainty Principle” demonstrates the fact a band doesn’t need hype, unlimited recording time or legions of adoring fans. All you need is strong songwriting and a set of good tunes. Gasgiant have both in abundance. A welcome, if incredibly late, entry into the annals of Scottish guitar music. It’s about time!

Raigmusic
Gasgiant / An Uncertainty Principle / 2005 (GsGnt 003)

История от третьего лица - bernaldox (08 августа 2007 г.):
Когда давным–давно, еще до вручения Риз Уизерспун, изобретения iPod и Джорджа Буша – младшего, «Мы выбрали жизнь, работу, карьеру. Мы выбрали семью, классный телевизор, стиральные машины, тачки, компакт-диск и микроволновые печи и т.д. Но не все. Я выбрал нечто другое». Музыку. Инструментальную, пост-роковую охренительную банду своих эдинбургских корешей, которые своим альбом «Uncertainly principle» заткнут за пояс заносчивые лейбловские группы нашего Большого королевского Брата. Под GASGIANT я травил легкие выхлопами, видел черно-белые сны, улыбался беззубым ртом. Жил?

...Иногда я сбегаю из своих каменных джунглей, пособия и молока в стеклянных бутылках на изумрудный холм, который мне в детстве показал отец, сказав, что он волшебный и что я пока у меня есть силы взобраться на него и посидеть на самой мягкой траве на свете, со мной ничего не случится. И вот я здесь, спустя тысячу триста восемьдесят четыре выпуска спортивных скачек, двух отсидок и тонны никотина, смотрю на пожухлое поле внизу себя и на мрачное, как лица таксистов, небо над своей головой. Я слышу... легкую, но в тоже время грустную гитарную мелодию. «So sorry» вторят мне Gasgiant. Да, мне очень жаль... Правда, отец. Я виноват. Я делал вид, что не вижу как стареют твои глаза, меняя цвет с голубых на бесцветные мертвой форели. Прости, что не ты учил меня водить машину, а вор-рецидивист, за которого Королева–мать отвалила не одну тысячу фунтов, прости, что сделал все так, что тебе было стыдно смотреть соседям в глаза. Прости, что я не пришел к тебе в больницу, я просто встретил Эллис. ну, помнишь, мы вместе с ней учились в начальной школе, так вот она тогда работала медсестрой, и я... Черт, когда она закончила «осмотр», и я весь взмыленный и измочаленный помчался к тебе в палату... Я помню плохо отстиранную простынь, под которой лежало что-то небольшое и скрюченное. Прости...

...А в колонии для малолеток я познакомился с итальяшкой Марчо, бреющимся заточенной рукояткой расчески и готовым убивать за шоколадный батончик. Мы все звали его «Loveboy», и он таким и был. Порочный ангелочек, сдавший крылья в ломбард за дозу, он обожал ночью в камере танцевать под гипнотические, как его глаза, гитарные, размеренные риффы и сновидческие сэмплы, рисуя в темном спертом воздухе пальцами картины Сицилии, на которой он не разу не был, карт хранилищ банков, которые он никогда не ограбил и образы женщин, которых он ни разу не соблазнил. Этот милашка чистил зубы, разбавляя пасту майонезом, «для большего блеску» и любил в столовке тыкать в уши других заключенных своей вилкой...

...На мой ботинок прилип желтый лист, и я сразу вспомнил «Agnes»... Ты не любила цветы, но за букет из мертвых листьев с сентябрьских деревьев готова была целовать мои потрескавшиеся губы вечностями. Построковой гитарной стезей ты вела меня по заветным тропкам – линиям своей жизни на ладони, я был умиротворен и думал, что саундтрек нашей любви – это мягкая и чарующая мело... Оооо! Потом ты толкала меня в спину, и я налетал на острые камни лжи, торчащие под листьями папоротника. Кожа трескалась, струилась кровь, громко и резко бас вкупе с гитарами безжалостно, как живодер, раздирал мою душу. Я безмолвно кричал от боли твое имя, а потом ты обнимала мою голову, собирая пинцетом мои слезы и помещая их в фиолетовую пробирку, и я снова подпадал под обволакивающую музыку твоих чувств, стараясь не замечать бередящих затянувшиеся коркой ранки слегка нойзовых шумов – термитов, разрушивших эффективней гексогена наше общее счастье. Эх, Агнесс, Агнесс... Где же ты теперь? Чьи слезы добавляешь на этот раз в виски? Какое желание загадываешь, сдувая с тонких пальцев упавшую ресничку?

...В голове опять устроили ток-шоу призраки прошлого. «Aloha», - говорю я им. Давно не виделись, минималистично льется музыка, ненавязчивые гитарно-басовые перепады помогают полностью окунуться в атмосферу прошлого. Такого уже ненужного и глупого. Пришло время похоронить вас, как старого Скупи, которого сбила машина, как бабушку, подавившуюся за завтраком яичной скорлупой, как отца, сердце которого устало сражаться, как друга Тимми, упавшего с крыши, как многих других, которые не оставили меня одного и клекают, как наглые чайки, мешая моим мыслям. В медленном перебирании струн я слышу старинный хит 60-х из музыкального автомата в закусочной «У Джека», что – то там о «непутевых спутниках в купе», о вас, мои дорогие. Вам пора перебираться ближе к Стиксу. Сайонара...

...Я не любил школу, рассадник педофилии, розг, легких и не очень наркотиков, злобных учителей и никому, кроме департамента образования, не нужных предметов. Тимми, до того, как попытался полететь без крыльев, всегда говорил мне, что «Math4stupid», что жизнь нельзя прожить по чудной формуле, что в ней не три, а тридцать три неизвестных, а коллизии ее будут пострашней всяких синусоид. Единственно, что роднит математику с человеческим существованием, Тимми, я понял не так уж давно, это то, что события могут развиваться медленно, линейно завлекая тебя в умиротворяющий саундскейп, и уже потом кривая жизни резко пойдет вверх, ошеломляя барабанными и молниеносными показателями, сползая снова в минор, теряя столь необходимые нам годовые проценты...

...А у вас когда-нибудь бывало такое чувство, будто бы этот песок, который сочится сквозь ваши руки, никогда не осядет на берегу, а так и будет песчинка за песчинкой струится по воздуху. Плачет скрипка, грустный, очень грустный доносится гитарный звук, пришел странный момент, период «Coppafeel». Под эту мелодию я могу бесчисленное множество раз наблюдать за тем, как машины сбивают Дэни Лавана, как набухает капля ржавой воды в старом кране и как розовый закат окутывает город. Это мелодия неумолима прекрасна, и я так бы хотел услышать ее на своих собственных похоронах, но это невозможно, ведь этот песок никак не хочет остановиться и все льется и льется, не достигая земли...

...Однажды мне приснился странный сон, в котором пуля, выпущенная из указательного пальца, достигла своей благой цели... Сердце в красивой деревянной рамке перестало дышать... Цветок в вазе манил своей похотью... В уголках губ схоронились сказки Весны... Слова предали Время в песочных часах... Дрожащие обрывы обнаженных нервов... Бисер, спрятанный на дне тайны, окутан Вьюгой... Жизнь встретила Смерть и озадачила вопросом: «Зачем»? «Opium» в бархатной черной маске берет меня с собой в медленное величавое путешествие, мы парим над ватными облаками, релаксирующие звуки, именно под эту музыку Бог, наверное, принимает ванну. Ха! За это мысленное богохульство потоками агрессивного воздуха, в котором нашлось место буйству яростных пост-роковых звуков, меня относит назад, и я кувыркаюсь, смеясь, задевая спящие звезды. Опиум и эйфория настигают меня, будто надев на лицо кислородную маску, и я уже привычно погружаюсь в диковинный мир театра жидкого эфира, в котором вечная осень, Агнесс и... Отец бурчит что-то неразборчивое, время, не выдержав предательства, уходит прочь... Я снова один, а в голове в прайм-тайм снова запущено ток-шоу моих потерянных призраков...

...Я врал, когда говорил, что люблю уже на втором поцелуе... Врал, когда обещал намазать тебе ржаной хлеб лунным мясом, но такова моя натура. Я люблю делать людей счастливыми на словах. Поначалу я плавно и несмело говорю то, что вы хотите услышать, мне вторят гитары, а уж потом, когда вы доверчиво и преданно начинаете смотреть мне в глаза, я обрушиваю на вас шумный роковый ливень. Да, это моя жизнь, мой «Slo-core», вдумчивый, эпохальный, усыпляющий ваш эгоцентризм повторяющими риффами и добивающий фееричными барабанными соло, и все убыстряющимся ритмом. Да, детка, когда надо, я могу ускориться! Интригуя почище лас-вегаского мага, я заставляю слушать вас долгое басо-барабанную партию, чтобы, нет! Вы опять ошиблись, кульминаций не будет, вместо нее снова барабаны и гитарный рефрен, мой кор, и я по новой закольцую вам правду, верней то, как вы ее себе представляете...

...Подул ветер, такой, какой бывают только в Шотландии, странный, не холодный и не теплый, отстраненный, как мои друзья. Они - народец сам в себе, «Are we all in?», да, именно так, брат. Послушай сам: нас не слышно, пальцы еле слышно касаются струн, в сэмплированном эхе слышится великолепие нашего былого юного величия, мы несмело смотрим в глаза собеседника, боясь удара. Большую часть жизни мы проводим в двигательном анабиозе, вроде как ходим, но спим внутри. Каково это, когда спит твоя душа? Что может разбудить твою душу? Кто мы? Спроси любого из наших, и он тебе ответит так: «Просто возьмите самые грустные ноты на свете, добавьте грусть как философию жизни, и сыграйте это, будто завтра экзистенциальный атомный взрыв, вот что такое мы и наша душа»...

...Я сжег все старые фотоснимки и мне пора двигаться дальше... Если бы я мог засунуть свой «zippo» к себе в башку и поджечь еще и эти чертовы голоса! Они снова завели свою заунывную волынку. Как будто обкурившейся трубочист фальцетом завывает в трубу. Черт те что! «Untitled». Что?! Решили поиграть со мной? Меня не обманешь! Теперь в этих риффах нет привычной легкости и меланхолии, они немного пугают... Как сцена в душе старика Альфреда... Но я вас раскусил, я вижу тебя, в дебильном красном колпаке, раскачивающегося на ржавых качелях, я щас доберусь до тебя, до этих бубенчиков на твоем головном уборе, все расплывается... Опять отец, флэшбек, бубнит, Агнесс, мокрый лист на ботинке, флэшбек, звук, будто по телу бабочки пропустили ток, флэшбек... Я уже близок, близок! - Мистер Макдональд, ваше лекарство!

P.S. Все композиции на альбоме написаны в период с 1999 по 2005 год. Записаны в январе-марте 2005 года, живьем-в-студии Tim Matthew, с последующей обработкой. Партию скрипки на “Coppafeel” исполнил Di Falk. Что еще сказать? Gasgiant - великая группа, An Uncertainty Principle - шедевр. Но как же жаль, что большинство людей об этом и не догадывается! Хотя... Жизнь – штука не только странная, но и непредсказуемая.

HELP Translation?anyone??

Loud Horizon Music
GASGIANT - An Uncertainty Principle

Edinburgh 4-piece , GASGIANT, released this, their second album in 2005.A gap of some six years after their first offering (Alexander's Dark Band) would lead one to think that this is a band who are either; (a) in search of perfection, or (b) complete 'lazy bastards!'

In fact, it would appear BOTH are true! One report I read quotes their record label as stating the latter description, having at that particular point only played one gig in twelve months and released two albums over a stretch of over fifteen years!

This situation seems to have been rectified at least, as they have certainly gigged recently in Glasgow.As for the 'perfection' bit: this is an album consisting nine tracks of ambient guitar instrumental music. For someone like me, coming from a 'punk' background, it is difficult to 'pigeon-hole' this type of music.

'Post-rock' seems to invoke some negative vibes these days. It's not that! 'Math' rock? I dunno! 'Shoegaze?' 'Stoner Rock?'

Hey - who gives a shit!! This is an excellent album of drifting guitars and programmed synth music. I guess the best (sort of) comparison I could make would be to MOGWAI and SIGUR ROS, the former sharing their stage with Gasgiant a while back!

After a slow start with 'So Sorry' - which does take a while to build - 'Loverboy' gathers not so much 'pace' as 'beat' and builds gradually, to end, I think rather unexpectedly!

I have no idea where the inspiration for track three came from. All I can surmise is that 'Agnes' was a kind, gentle lady,, with a bit of a moody side, and a foul, violent temper!

'Aloha' follows. The great thing about instrumentals, is that the listener conjures up their own personal image of what the music represents. So the title to this instantly whisks me away to Honolulu or somewhere of that ilk. (It was possibly written with the Sighthill Housing scheme in mind - who knows?!)

'Math4stupid' is samples on the My Space pages of both the band and LOUD HORIZON MUSIC and is a representative of the album in general. 'Coppafeel' again starts quietly but builds to a reverb and distortion- laden crescendo..'Opium' rises and falls, leading into 'Slo-core' which turns a corner - a bit of an 'epic' I guess you'd call it. Far more heavy and upbeat, with raging guitars fighting against pounding, violent drums! 'Are We All In?' closes the album in a far more reflective mode - but perhaps the band, and even the listener need a breather after the excesses of the preceding 'Slo-core'.

Music to study by; music to chill by; music to get angry to; music to write reviews to! It's all here!!

Myspace Blog
Gasgiant - An uncertainty principle

There is a tragic, almost forlorn, fragile beauty to 'An Uncertainty Principle', the second album from Edinburgh's GASGIANT. The boys list Ennio Morricone and John Barry in their list of influences, and create a soundscape more than big enough to fill a multiplex.

With an average song length of in excess of seven minutes, and with two tracks passing the eleven minute mark, this probably isn't one for the ASBO generation with their goldfish like attention spans, but if you are prepared to immerse yourself into the music, the payoff here is massive. I tell you what would be nice though...a 'bends' era Thom Yorke soaring over the top of this lot. Vocally that is, not in the skies above Edinburgh in a microlite or similar soaring apparatus.

I dare any of you stressed out individuals of the 21st century to listen to this album and not see your blood pressure plummet. This has rapidly become a darkroom late night favourite of mine. And the album package is also a gatefold cardboard joy to behold. Give them money. They will give you a top notch, staggeringly beautiful body of work.

Perkele , Noizeitalia
GASGIANT - An uncertainty principle

Su un sound simile a quello dei Tantrum si posizionano anche i Gasgiant (attenzione, non la heavy psych band danese), gruppo scozzese attivo dai primi anni ’90 e giunto con “An uncertainty principle” al secondo lavoro dopo il debutto “Alexander’s Dark Band”. I quattro (Ryan Hadnett - chitarra e voce -, Neil Watson - chitarra -, Mike Wheeler - batteria - e ‘Blade’ Wilkinson - basso -) propongono un rock malinconico e visionario, forte di suggestioni che vanno dal post rock alla psichedelia classica, passando per mood shoegaze e slow core.

I nove brani che compongono l’album sembrano scritti per accompagnare un viaggio alla fine del mondo, composizioni come “Loverboy”, “Aloha”, le lunghe, sinuose “Opium” e “Slo-core” odorano di Pink Floyd, Loop, Spiritualized, Low e Mogwai. Ossia quanto di più sfaccettato il suono psichedelico morbido e liquido abbia proposto negli ultimi 40 anni. Ma non c’è solo questo. Ci sono anche le esplosioni elettriche di “Math4stupid”, le pause dilatate di “Coppafeel” o l’introspezione psicologica della conclusiva “Are we all in?”. Insomma, “An uncertainty principle” è una colonna sonora ideale per ripararsi dal freddo del gelido inverno.

translated by deals:

With a sound similar to that of Tantrum is positioned the combo Gas Giant (Attention! Not the Danish heavy metal band with the same name). A Scots group active since the early 90s and together with 'An uncertainty principle' their second work following their debut 'Alexanders Dark Band' a fourpiece propogate a melancholic yet visionary rock. Strongly suggestive of post rock of the classic psychedelic period. In mood very close to shoegaze and slowcore.

The new pieces that make up the album seem written to accompany a voyage to the end of the world, compositions such as 'loverboy' 'Aloha' and the long sinuous 'Opium' and 'Slo Core' have the odour of Pink Floyd Loop, Spiritualized, Low and Mogwai. To be precise, (Translators Note: Have to admit to uncertainty around this next phrase
but is likely to be something like this..) The sound is as psychedlic, morbid and liquid as anything of the last 40 years.

But this not all, there is also the electric explosion of 'math4 stupid' the enjoyable pause of 'Cop a Feel' (Translators Interjection: Blimey!
Is that really the title?) Or the psychological introspection of the concluding track 'Are we all in'. In conclusion, 'An Uncertainty Principle'is a column of sound (?) ideal to comfort oneself with against the cold and ice of winter.

Kronic
Gasgiant An Uncertainty Principle 7.5/10
 
Come un caldo abbraccio al cuore
Deve esserci qualcosa nelle pinte di birra servite nei pub scozzesi. Magari é l´atmosfera che circonda gli avventori o il clima uggioso che invoglia ad avventurarsi nelle birrerie locali, fatto sta che dalla Scozia provengono diversi gruppi che fanno del post-rock il loro emblema, Mogwai su tutti. A continuare questa tradizione musicale ci pensano i Gasgiant, quartetto di Edinburgo al secondo lavoro dopo 16 anni di attivitá. E in effetti questa ultradecennale esperienza non puó che giovare al gruppo, autore di un album particolarmente ispirato incentrato su un post-rock strumentale per niente cerebrale ma tutto emozioni e caldi languori.

Melodie glaciali che disegnano romantici cerchi concentrici (“Loverboy”), un flusso sonoro squarciato da improvvisi episodi di distorsione (“Agnes”), riff lunari che si snodano attraverso percorsi eterei ed impalpabili (“Opium”). Le nove tracce scivolano sinuosamente tra echi metallizzati e morbide insenature emotive verso un oceano di suono infinito, dove le melodie fluttuano libere verso una ricchezza di trame e tessuti. L’incedere lento, la falsa pacatezza stravolta da scatti fragorosi, l’interpretazione viscerale di un genere spesso etichettato come razionale: tante qualità racchiuse in oltre settanta minuti di musica

Non sarà un disco epocale ma “Uncertainty Principle” impressiona per il ventaglio di sensazioni evocate e per lo schema narrativo dannatamente intrigante. Un album da scoprire e assaporare con lentezza.

translated by deals:

‘Like a warm hug to the heart’

There must be something in the beers served in Scottish pubs. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere or the dull climate that tempts the adventurous into their local hostelries. Whatever it is, the fact remains that a number of groups have come from Scotland that have made post-rock their emblem, Mogwai pre-eminent among them.

Continuing this musical tradition are GasGiant, a musical outfit from Edinburgh still working hard at their craft after 16 years of activity. Authors of a particularly inspiring post-rock album, cerebral yet also emotional and redolent of languid hot days.

Glacial melodies outline circular romantic quests such as on ‘Loverboy’, an ebb and flow resonating with episodes of distortion (‘Agnes’) or Lunar riffs suggestive of an ethereal and impalpable journey (‘Opium’)

Their new tracks are muscular ,(heavy?) metallic and morbid, as emotions that cross an infinity of sound. Where the melodies fluctuate freely, creating a rich fabric of music. There is a quality to their sound that lingers in the mind long after the seventy minutes of their stage appearance.

Without being a definitive disc of it’s time. ‘Uncertainty principle’ impresses for it’s evocative sensation (or sensuality?) and for it’s intriguing narrative structure.

An album to discover and savour at your leisure.

The Silent Ballet.
Gasgiant - Uncertainty Principle 8/10

Gasgiant’s background is particularly vague, but here’s what we know: the band may, or may not, have formed in 1995/1996, maybe even 1991, depending on who you talk to; An Uncertainty Principle is its second record (2005), released six years after the debut, Alexander’s Dark Band (1999, but made up of tracks from the previous four years). Also, at some point Gasgiant played with Mogwai and Broadcast. Ok, so maybe vague doesn’t quite cover it, but you get the idea. Here’s what we know about the music: cavernous, aching soundscapes ebb and flow towards both minimal and punishing climaxes. If you’re familiar with This Is Your Captain Speaking and Destroyalldreamers, heed them as relevant peers. With a wonderfully balanced oeuvre, an astute instrumental philosophy, Gasgiant are virtually unsurpassed in such a burgeoning and expanding genre.

Opening with an ominous silence, An Uncertainty Principle makes no qualms about its reluctance to get anything done with urgency. Instead, “So Sorry” comes and goes with barely a whisper (it’s nearly two minutes long), and it’s only when the prevalent melody from “Loverboy” materializes that you realize that the album has been playing for seven minutes. By the time “Aloha” appears, the record’s aura -- its pungent, shimmering haze -- is so mercilessly embedded in your equilibrium that “Math4stupid,” the Mono-esque-arpeggio-riff-fest that follows, leaves a bewildering impression. And it’s perhaps this facet that resonates so vividly throughout; the shift between the fugal crescendos and the tranquil compositions is at times illuminating.

Although initially vexing, this is Gasgiant's manifesto: reverb-laden artistry = more sentiment than words. It is, ultimately, a wonderful example of narrative art; unrelenting in its simple logic, cunningly played out with the intensity of a musician’s guile and an author’s freedom.

The List
Gasgiant - Uncertainty Principle 4/5

This band are 'lazy bastards', their record label inform us, as they've played just once in the last 12 months. But as they've released only two albums in the 15 years they've been together, this should come as no surprise.

When Gasgiant formed post-rock was all the rage. And though they've moved on, their genre of choice is still guitar-driven instrumental rock. It opens with the ambient, barely there strains of 'So Sorry', then we stumble into @loverboy', a mesmerising head-nodder for shoegazers who've grown up. And so they meander though to 'Slocore', all epic riffs like Joy Division on elephant tranquilisers. Here's to album number 3 ETA 2012.

Is this Music
Gasgiant - Uncertainty Principle 4/5

Self-confessed as "lazy", it took the edinburgh instrumental rockers 9 years to get their first album out. Now they've quickened the pace, a gap of just 6 years separating that debut Alexander's Dark Band and this 9-track collection. And you know what, speaking as someone who finds a lot of post rock dull and tedious, i've really enjoyed this album. Probably because it's not really post rock at all. To be honest, it doesn't start well, in the sense that 'So Sorry' takes a minute to even make any noise. 'Loverboy' does kick off, but unfortunately veers to close to (I think) Mogwai's 'Christmas Steps'. However, after a couple minutes (a short time after 72 months!) it picks up, and settles into a stoner-y groove. 'Agnes' is next and must be named after a fearful woman, as it does the loud-quiet to the blood-curdling extreme, but fortunately doesn't outstay it's welcome; instead drifting into 'Aloha'. This is, kind of, country, like if the Zephrs met up with Slint for pizza and beer in front of the telly, and - maybe - record a tune later. 'Math4stupid' boasts a good wee tune - not A phrase you hear often when reffering to 'real' post-real - though its decidedly scary violin seems to lure the listener seems to lure the listener towards a cataclysmic second half which includes the epic 'Slocore'. We could analyse this album to death, but let's just say that their time on the couch has come to a welcome end.

the broken heart and broken stars of Sadbaby
Gasgiant - Uncertainty Principle

After a very long wait, the much-anticipated second Gasgiant album "Uncertainty Principle" is hot off the press and will be available in all good independent record stores very very soon!

A launch gig is planned (featuring yours truly on guitar) in December in Edinburgh... more details as and when they are available!

The perfect soundtrack to your long winter drives.... hot candlelit baths.... and dark early nights X

Skinnymag
Gasgiant - Uncertainty Principle

This is the shyest music I've ever heard - the musical equivalent of that kid at a party who insists on sitting alone in the corner. And when you try and spark up a conversation, he'll mutter something, then you'll suddenly be distracted and when you turn around... he's gone. Gasgiant's music seems to resolutely defy being payed attention to, almost like it does not want to be any more than background noise. There'll be an occasional flurry of interesting guitar or drum work, but as soon as your ears prick up it'll blush and revert to unoffensive mediocrity. "Post rock" music for people without emotion.

Bannermans, Edinburgh,
23 August 2003 -

Ok, so we're not supposed to review one of our (?) bands but what the hell, we had to pay to get in, so we think we can.

I just wanted to hear that song that goes Weeeooo-weeeooo-weeeooo-weeeooo-weeeeooo etc..

To start with, nice venue Bannermans: Cavern-like, and there were other bands but aren't there always, anyway, gasgiant headlined.

And they were pretty quiet to start with, 3 or 4 or 5 new tracks in a loop-tune-a-few-times-with-variations-and-then-play-it-loud-and-once-more-quiet-then-finish way. I know people say mogwai but i was finding it more Durutti Column so, pleasant and gentle, with loud bits.

But just as i began writing this in my head they played another new track, again in the loop-tune-blah-blah-blah way when suddenly BANG! Holy Fuck! what a sound! Just awesomely HUGE, like the entire Heavenly Choir on a day trip to a guitar shop.

And this is still Gasgiant, a four piece, the nearest equilavent in the Big Sound i can think of is Sigor Ros and the last time we saw them was with a string section.

And the crowd loved it, we may even sell some albums!

Maybe the sound engineer woke up, maybe the band found some louder pedals or maybe those last three songs are better, but from then on they dropped Durutti Column/Mogwai and became Gasgiant again - monsters of rock.

Having seen them for 10 years now and got the album, i still don't know what track is called what, but that's the problem with instrumentals (that and someone always shouts 'turn up the vocals').

So i went and asked what the track was (after the encore). It was called 'Five', probably named after their heroes. If i was a proper record label, i would demand that that was the next single. As it is i just hope they record it before they get bored of it.

And they never did play that song that goes: Weeeooo-weeeooo-weeeooo-weeeooo-weeeeooo.

JockRock
Laeto/Gasgiant, Potterrow, Thursday 9th October 2002 -

Don't mention the 'P' word? I'll whisper it; "post-rock", a handy category for bands making melodic instrumental guitar music. That's what locals Gasgiant gave us, a nice mix of the loud and the quiet. There's another potential grouping under the 'Mogwai' category which is at times accurate: Gasgiant made glacially-paced melodies in a style which we once called 'slow-core'. On 'Loverboy' they showed they have their own line in understated tunes and indeed rather spoiled the feel by rocking out towards the end of their set.
Photo nicked from JockRock.