Really good instrumental music is hard to find -- at least if you look in the places I look -- so my recent introduction to Explosions in the Sky was an experience of epiphany-level eye-opening proportions. The band, a group of four from Austin, Texas, has over 800,000 followers on Spotify, six albums, and four motion picture soundtracks, plus appearances on three other motion picture soundtracks. If you're not listening to Explosions already, you should do so immediately.
The band refers to their music as "cathartic mini-symphonies," and while their music is almost exclusively instrumental, you might hardly notice. Explosions usually records and performs with three electric guitars and a drum kit, occasionally adding a bass guitar. Before quickly gaining traction in the Austin music scene, their demo was presented to a record label with the note "this f****** destroys," and they were signed with only half of it listened to.
According to guitarist Munaf Rayani, the band "'discussed singing for half a second, and then it just kinda—we just dropped it. We just didn't go back to it because we were comfortable enough.' Drummer Chris Hrasky added, 'I think we just liked the idea of a band that there was not a leader or main songwriter, everyone sort of collaborating and has their own say. I don't think any of us want the sort of "leader role," so a leaderless band is kind of the best option for us.'"
Whether you use this magnificent musical masterpiece of a band while doing homework, for background music, or for impressing your friends with your sophisticated knowledge of wordless music (when really it's just because you're human, and who could not like this band?), you should begin said use immediately. And then you can become a proud bandwagon super-fan like me and be as excited for the vinyl release of their soundtrack for "Manglehorn" that drops in December (!). But, until then, I hope you enjoy this wonderful band as much as I have.
And, if you happen to need more convincing:
