Synchromysticism

Cryptooology, the 2004 debut by St. Louis instrumental outfit Yowie, is one of the most abrasive avant-rock records ever made, a thicket of discordant anti-riffing that often sounds like a Captain-less Trout Mask Replica played on fast-forward. But buried within the blurt was a sense of perversely danceable groove, an element that gradually came to the fore across the St. Louis band’s slim but rewarding discography. Synchromysticism, from 2017, made rhythm the focus, retaining the band’s love of maniacal splatter but balancing it with a deceptively minimal throb. “Mysterium Tremendum” entrances as it convulses while “The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You,” with its relentless bouncy momentum, almost feels like noise-punk Meshuggah, and closer “The Reason Your House Is Haunted Can Be Found on This Microfiche” takes its time ramping up to the band’s usual freneticism. Yowie’s musical terrain will never be smooth, but here, for those so inclined, there’s just enough steady ground on which to bust a move.