Mogwai: Ten Rapid (Vinyl LP)

Mogwai's first album-length release was the compilation Ten Rapid. Intended for the US market, the album collects tracks from the band's early singles and compilation appearances - though collectors may want to note that several tracks were re-recorded for inclusion here. Those early singles made a huge splash with their dense sonics prompting critical comparisons to My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, and other progenitors of the shoegazer movement.

As with much of Mogwai's catalogue, the tracks here are mostly instrumentals, and even on the few with vocals, the lyrics receive no more weight in the mix than any other element. Standouts include 'Summer' in which a center section of feverish, high-speed drumming and paint-peeling guitar blurs is book-ended by a slow build-up and fadeout of atmospheric pop, punctuated intermittently by grinding bursts of noise.

1. Summer
   
2. Helicon 2
   
3. Angels Versus Aliens
   
4. I Am Not Batman
   
5. Tuner
6. Ithica 27ϕ9
   
7. A Place For Parks
   
8. Helicon 1
   
9. End