[2025] Start Here First! A Roundup of Recommended Western Post-Rock Bands

Gently Turned On Your HeadThe Mercury Program

The Mercury Program-Gently Turned On Your Head (video)

The American band The Mercury Program is known for its appealing sound, where intricate, groovy rhythms and the vibraphone’s space-coloring tones resonate beautifully.

Formed in 1997, their musicality deepened further when a vibraphonist joined in 1999.

Their 2002 masterpiece, A Data Learn the Language, is a signature work that received strong critical acclaim, including an 8 out of 10 from Spin.

Although they once went on a long hiatus, it’s memorable that the members—living in different cities—reunited and continued creating music.

Even without lyrics, their instrumentals evoke personal stories for each listener, making their music perfect for times when you want to immerse yourself deeply in a world of sound.

HoppipollaSigur Rós

Sigur Ross – Hoppipolla

Sigur Rós are a post-rock band from Reykjavík, Iceland.

With a distinctive aesthetic that moves between quiet and loud, they’ve crafted an overwhelmingly beautiful sonic world and achieved global success.

Their lyrics feature their native Icelandic and the invented “Hopelandic,” paired with a cinematic worldview and orchestration, and Jónsi’s androgynous vocals at the center.

They’re a band with many fans in Japan as well—be sure to check them out.

Water from the Same SourceRachel’s

Water from the Same Source

Rachel’s, an American post-rock ensemble that forged a singular sonic world where serenity and grandeur coexist.

The project began in 1991 under guitarist Jason Noble, and took full flight when pianist Rachel Grimes and others joined.

As their music is often described as chamber music, instruments like cello, viola, and piano take center stage.

Their masterpiece Systems/Layers, released in October 2003, received high acclaim for its artistry, including a score of 81 on review aggregate sites.

Though instrumental, their music has the power to vividly evoke personal inner landscapes for each listener.

It’s the kind of sound you’ll want by your side on a night when you wish to steady your heart and immerse yourself in music.

East HastingsGodspeed You! Black Emperor

Godspeed You Black Emperor – East Hastings

The band name might make Japanese people instinctively flinch, but Godspeed You! Black Emperor—an enigmatic, large ensemble from Montreal, Canada—borrowed their name from the 1976 Japanese documentary film about biker gangs, “God Speed You! Black Emperor.” They are renowned as a crucial presence within the post-rock genre.

Their music often tackles serious themes, and its overwhelming, ambitious scale and dark sound may not be for everyone.

But once you’re drawn in, it’s a world you won’t want to leave—one you should definitely experience for yourself.

AtlasBattles

Battles – Atlas

When it comes to bands that elevated 2000s post-rock to another dimension, Battles inevitably comes to mind.

The group began as a quartet of exceptional musicians: guitarist Ian Williams, known for Don Caballero; drummer John Stanier, famed for his time in the 1990s alternative metal band Helmet; Dave Konopka of Lynx; and Tyondai Braxton, the son of free jazz legend Anthony Braxton.

With a genre-defying, highly original style, they cultivated a fervent fan base in Japan as well.

They’re currently active as a duo, but every one of their releases is fascinating—definitely worth checking out.

Good Morning CaptainSlint

Slint – (1991) – Good Morning Captain

Based in Kentucky, USA, Slint are foundational to what would come to be called post-rock and math rock—an essential presence both in the genre’s formation and in the history of US indie.

They released just two records: Tweez, recorded with Steve Albini and released in 1988, and their self-titled album in 1991 following a lineup change.

Both have been reappraised over the years and continue to influence countless musicians.

With intricately interwoven guitar riffs and rhythms, odd time signatures, and a vocal approach that departs from conventional melody, they presented a style that truly pushed rock beyond its boundaries.

They’re not exactly easy listening, but for anyone interested in the history of post-rock, Slint is a band you must experience.

LimerickBardo Pond

Bardo Pond – “Limerick” (Official Music Video)

Bird Pond is a U.

S.

band whose heavy, overdriven guitars surge like an avalanche.

Formed in 1991, their music paints a vast sonic landscape where elements of psychedelia, drone, and noise swirl together.

Isobel Sollenberger’s ethereal vocals and flute seem to cast a shaft of light through the thunderous din.

They cemented their style with the 1996 masterpiece Amanita.

Their long, largely improvised tracks make you feel as if you’re drifting through an endless dream.

Though they’ve never courted major awards, their chops are undeniable—for instance, their drummer took part in Boredoms’ 2007 project.

Why not let yourself be swept away by this torrent of sound, where roaring noise and hushed silence coexist?