The realm of post-rock is something that goes really well with anything that requires looking inwards to accomplish, and the actions of mankind are something that really makes some of us wonder about the impact we’ve left on the surrounding environment and at what cost. It’s something that great acts of the style like If These Tree Could Talk have tackled many times and it shows no sign of disappearing. But recently, I’ve been wanting to see some younger acts take it on, and Ocean Districts fits the bill wondrously and greatly surpassed my expectations.

The unknown effects of nuclear testing during the long duration of the Cold War is something that we still continue to ponder even decades after the testing ceased and the once remoted testing sites becoming abandoned to the wilderness yet again. It’s truly a unique concept that I’m sure has been done before but my exposure to it has been nonexistent, but it’s Ocean Districts that has made me want so much more of it with just five tracks of some of the best post-rock/metal instrumentation that I’ve heard in quite some time. Just in one track alone, “Doomtowns” manages to encompass the entire scope of these events from the tragic events on nature to the ignorant exploration of humans to complete uncertainty of the future in a brilliant display that’s a great blend of rock and metal coated in great post elements with some progressive nature sprinkled on top for good measure that really allows the sonic range of Ocean Districts to be front and center as these Estonians deliver one hell of a good time. It’s incredibly hard to make such an impactful statement, especially one with a political note, without a single word, but somehow “Doomtowns” managed to do it five times over seemingly with but a flick of a wrist.

The realm of post music is something that’s always captured my imagination, but it’s not often that a record like this can make me think so much while simultaneously being a glorious display of instrumental prowess. Oceans Districts has gone through some changes since their debut release almost five years ago, but if the quality of “Doomtowns” is to go off of then Ocean Districts is an act that cannot be ignored in the future.

LISTEN to “Doomtowns” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Ocean Districts on Facebook here.