Chicago psych-punks Disappears return with a powerful punch to the senses on their jam-heavy second album Guider. Even though the album clocks in at a mere 30 minutes, Disappears’ rattling drones exist outside of time, extending past the salt in the hourglass.

Guider’s first four tracks weave into the other preceding it, elongating into one link to stand against album closer “Revisiting,” which holds out at an impressive 15 minutes.

While Disappears’ debut Lux bordered on the slightly more accessible garage rock side with a clearer pop structure, Guider gives into the band’s experimental rock influences.

And Guider’s influences are obvious. In each track, the listener can pinpoint old standards such as the Velvet Underground and even English psychedelic rockers Spaceman 3. The jam sessions found on Guider feel strangely reminiscent of those done by Sonic Youth, whose drummer Steve Shelley was recruited by Disappears after long-time percussionist Graeme Gibson left the band after the recording of Guider to continue with folk rockers The Fruit Bats.

Pair these influences with a love of pulsating rhythms (courtesy of bassist Damon Carruesco and Gibson), Brian Case’s near-monotone vocals, and swirling walls of distortion guitar (courtesy of Jonathan van Herik and Case) and you have the entirety of Guider.

The last half of the album, which includes the tracks “New Fast” and “Revisiting” revs up the album’s pace, quite literally. The tempo is increased as well as Disappears use of repetition in order to leave the listener in a hypnotic trance, all the while feeding off the listener’s energy to become something bigger and better.

Guider shows that Disappears is still growing and forever in motion. While Gibson’s departure will hang over the band’s collective head, the addition of Shelley outside of touring is reason alone to keep an eye out for future recordings.
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