A band in polka-dotted alien costumes took social media by storm with one KEXP live session. A fresh take on microtonal music that combines dissonance with rapid math-rock grooves, their sound is complex but catchy. They unleash newfound creativity as they explore and cultivate the underrated genre into something viral.

They go by the French name for chest pain: Angine de Poitrine.

Composed of only two people – one on the drums, the other on guitar and bass looped into a perpetual circle. But Angine de Poitrine doesn’t surrender to that limitation. They embrace it with their construction of sound spirals and whirlpools across layers instead of straining to become a band they’re not.

They don’t force an attempt to mimic the irreplicable psychedelic beauty of the current torchbearers of microtonal rock, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. They interpret their own version of controlled chaos with dry, metallic riffs that differ entirely from KGLW.

Their newly released second album – simply titled Vol. II – shows the serious potential of that formula. Despite how microtonal music often gets overlooked for its unconventional nature of splitting notes smaller than a conventional semitone, this album resurrected it into a trippy collage of quarter-split notes.

The first track, “FabienK”, illustrates funk through a dance of staccato and unintelligible synth-like vocals. In a duration of over six minutes, it delivers unparalleled rhythmic tightness and connection.

That energy changes focus through the next two songs, “Mata Zyklek” and “Sarniezz”. Instead of the rhythmic, sharp spikes of “FabienK”, these two tracks offer thick walls of chromatic melodies and time signature changes that manipulate the listener through the classic tension and release blueprint. 

Next up, “Utzp”, which bears the whimsy of a clown theme in its first half. The stark contrast between their apt instrumental skills and the silly melody brilliantly jabs with the sort of witty humor that synergizes their alien appearance.

But halfway through “Utzp”, cymbals crash in quicker tempo, and tsunamis of excessively flashy guitar flood the amps – and Angine de Poitrine returns to a chaotic rock spirit once again.

Wails of guitar feedback explode into the next track. “Yor Zarad”, incompletely complete in its 7/8 groove and frantic melody, perfectly finishes the rollercoaster ride “Utzp” started.

If you dig this album, then get your hands on Mercury Tree’s Spidermilk and Consider the Source’s The Stare. These records uncover a myriad of other unique interpretations of microtonality. Spidermilk boasts melting, flowing arpeggios tastefully tinted with echo and reverb, and The Stare encapsulates the art of fusion with traditional microtonal instruments atop modern prog rock beats.

You can even dive into a totally different mix. Jute Gyte’s Unus Mundus Patet – a combination of a thick wall of black metal drones and microtonal dissonance – slams into your ears and liquefies your senses like nothing else.

Overall, the new album successfully introduces the potential of microtonal rock to a wider audience. By embracing their alien concept, Angine de Poitrine’s Vol. II opens a gateway into eccentric flavor.