4 out of 5

Label: Chunklet Industries, Third Uncle Records

Produced by: Mathis Hunter, The Purkinje Shift (mixed by)

The copy for this resurgent release from late 90s instrumental rockers The Purkinje Shift mentions ‘regimented construct,’ and, well, yes. Purkinje are a tight act of two guitars and drums, and they pursue a sound that brings together crunchy, post-rock riffing with the pummeling momentum of early Don Cab. That makes for output that’s more experimental than the former, but more directly emotive than the latter. It’s fun.

The two tracks on this 7″ wind a daisy-chain guitar line to rock and roll riffage and aggressive, jazzy drumming. A-side Mohawker is perfection: the time changes, the ebb and flow from dual to paralleling guitar attacks all feel amazingly organic – it’s a song that could play forever and never get tiresome. B-side Mo Ave Tav maybe only pales slightly by comparison: smartly setting the tone a bit moodier vs. the shuffly A-side, Mo’s transitions are more “forced,” pulling from the math rock playbook. Not that this dims the fun at all.

A triumphant return, Purkinje emerge with the confidence of players who’ve kept notes on this scene over the past twenty years, honing in on what to keep and what to perfect.