Alt-J: “Tessellate”

Classifying music with traditional terms has steadily become more and more difficult throughout the past few years, and ∆ (Alt-J)’s latest single “Tessellate” certainly embodies that idea to the fullest. The quartet from Cambridge, whose name signifies the keyboard command for the Greek letter delta, appears to make their eclectic blending of genres a completely conscious endeavor as delta is often used to signify a change of some sort within mathematics.

Perhaps the most useful way of understanding what level this song works on is to notice the variety of contemporary genres that it synthesizes so well. Borrowing a relaxed, stripped down dubstep-like half-time beat, looping guitar patterns reminiscent of Radiohead, and expansive full piano chords, Alt-J seem to be succeeding in extracting all the best elements from today’s popular genres and leaving the clichés behind. This theme of connections continues to permeate the group’s persona through their lyrics as well. Describing their affinity for the triangle as signifying the “three points where two lines meet,” they poetically describe what appears to be a love song through geometric terms.

“Tessellate” is the last of three singles in support of their first full-length LP, An Awesome Wave, which hit the shelves in the U.S. last month. It stands as an accurate sample of the rest of the album, which follows the same general combination of dub-pop mixed with folky lyrics and instrumentation. If artists who aren’t afraid to experiment both sonically and lyrically intrigue your ear, this album will certainly not disappoint.