Photo courtesy of Hummus Records

It can be pretty tough to distinguish between progressive instrumental doom/sludge bands, even if you really like this shit (which, for the record, I totally do). As a band, constructing your entire ouevre around a Neurosis interlude is a risky endeavor at best, but sometimes it does pay off. Case in point: the Swiss oddballs in Ølten, whose new LP for Hummus Records is supremely listenable and weirdly catchy. Their press bio is legitimately bonkers—”- ØLTEN shakes you by the neck (slowly but surely) and which animal hides within the prison of your ribs, bear, ram, or duckling”—but their music is anything but. Ølten works carefully, hypnotically, slowly unfurling colossal riffs and ominous lines of syth, and letting the notes speak for themselves (except on the aptly-titled “Gloom,” which features hoary guest vocals from Thomas Lijedahl).

Listen to Mode below, and feel free to preorder the record on CD or vinyl here.

Kim Kelly is glooming and dooming on Twitter – @grimkim