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Chord Releasing Sophomore LP, 'Progression,' Nov. 5

2:40 p.m. · August 10, 2010 · by Andrew Martin

The album title for Chord's forthcoming sophomore effort is certainly a fitting one for this band that is made up of members of post-metal outfit Pelican and X-Bax. For their debut, 2009's Flora, this quintet unleashed an ambient record with a heavy improvisational element. Also, each track featured just one Chord with each player playing only one assigned note of that particular chord.

But for Progression, these guys have created three single-chord compositions filled with atmospheric layers and slightly brooding tones. And each of those three tracks are then recreated with separate chords, making for a sprawling arc across two versions of the album. Also, while you can play the record straight through and enjoy it how it's presented, apparently the true way to listen to it is to play both a CD and vinyl version of Progression simultaneously. You can download the first leak -- the gorgeous, sweeping "EbMaj9 (descent)" -- here and get a taste of just how hypnotizing this stuff sounds.

Progression drops on Important Records Nov. 5.