Manchester-based progressive post-rock quartet CIVIL SERVICE presents their highly anticipated debut album /// LIGHT, a sonic epic brimming with expansive soundscapes, intricate compositions, and a bold, collaborative vision. Released today, October 4th, through Glasgow’s Ripcord Records, /// LIGHT promises to cement CIVIL SERVICE’s place among post-rock’s most forward-thinking acts.
Produced by longtime 65DAYSOFSTATIC collaborator Dave Sanderson, the album pushes the boundaries of instrumental rock, blending guitar-driven energy with electronic textures, all set against the backdrop of a futuristic sci-fi narrative.
The band’s ability to craft an immersive world of sound is evident from the very first track, as they weave together dynamic guitar work, pulsing synths, and precise percussion. With influences ranging from MOGWAI and RUSSIAN CIRCLES to SLOWDIVE, /// LIGHT is as expansive as it is intimate, inviting listeners into an otherworldly auditory experience.
The album is also a celebration of collaboration. CIVIL SERVICE enlisted numerous guest musicians from the post-rock scene, including DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS, L.O.E., NEW GHOST, and DUTCH ELM, each contributing to the album’s rich sonic palette.
Notably, the band also brought in Caroline Cawley of CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL and DYSTOPIAN FUTURE MOVIES to deliver spoken word narration that adds a haunting, philosophical dimension to the album’s sci-fi themes.
The fourteen-minute opening track, Retreat, sets the tone for the album with its steady, mesmerizing bassline, layered with vibrant guitars and complex drum patterns. CIVIL SERVICE’s attention to detail is clear, as every instrument plays its part in constructing an evolving soundscape that feels at once massive and intimate. Sanderson’s production brings an added depth, infusing the track with dense synths that evoke the feeling of wandering through a futuristic cityscape, perhaps a neon-lit Neo-Manchester.
Lines of Communication, the album’s lead single, takes a more immediate approach, with an anthemic sound designed for large festival stages. This track explores the complexities of modern technology and communication, incorporating spoken-word contributions from several collaborators in their native languages, as well as samples of radio signals and Morse code. The result is a thick, shoegaze-inspired wall of sound, reminiscent of bands like SLOWDIVE and EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY.
Collaboration lies at the heart of /// LIGHT, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the two-part closing suite, She Felt The Yawning Skyline. Spanning twenty minutes, this epic conclusion throws everything at the listener—delicate melodies, explosive crescendos, and even a full choir, composed of CIVIL SERVICE’s post-rock comrades, recorded through file-sharing collaborations.
The choir, featuring contributions from DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS, NEW GHOST, and others, elevates the final moments of the album to a grand, emotional climax.
This collaborative spirit is a key part of the band’s ethos. As CIVIL SERVICE explains, “Part of the ethos of the record is collaboration. Collaborating with the people who’ve shaped what you’ve made, you’re always picking up ideals from what you’re hearing and seeing… It has taken it from being just ‘our’ record, to all of ours, as a post-rock community.”
/// LIGHT is a fully realized work of art, steeped in modern post-rock lore and brimming with ambition. The detailed production from Dave Sanderson, combined with the stunning visuals provided by photographer Katie McGuinness (whose photograph of the Haslingden Halo graces the cover), creates a cohesive artistic statement that is as visually striking as it is sonically immersive.
CIVIL SERVICE has already earned a reputation for their captivating live performances, sharing stages with the likes of AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR and A-SUN AMISSA.
/// LIGHT is available now via Ripcord Records.
