More than three decades into their career, Chicago-born instrumental ensemble Tortoise still exemplify the ideals of what’s come to be known as “postrock.” This has less to do with adhering to a specific style—they’ve trafficked in Krautrock, dub, Afropop, minimalist classical, ambient music, and more—than with their devotion to finding new expressive paths inside the sounds they’ve been exploring and evolving since their debut in 1993 with the *Mosquito* seven-inch.
Their October album, *Touch*, is their first full-length release in nine years. However, the long delay shouldn’t be taken as evidence that they’re any less committed to the project. The five members of Tortoise managed to create a coherent album while spread out across three different states. Percussionist, keyboardist, and recording engineer John McEntire lives in Portland, Oregon; guitarist-keyboardist Jeff Parker and percussionist John Herndon are based in Los Angeles; and percussionist-keyboardist Dan Bitney and bassist-guitarist Doug McCombs remain in Chicago.
Released by International Anthem and Nonesuch, *Touch* is Tortoise’s first album not issued on the storied Chicago indie label Thrill Jockey. Parker has already released stellar solo recordings through International Anthem, and Tortoise’s adventurous music helped set the stage for the label to become an institution in its own right.
To my ears, *Touch* nods to this connection. A midsong shift in the crunchy “Vexations,” for instance, emphasizes cool, in-the-pocket handclaps that recall Parker’s 2020 album *Suite for Max Brown*. *Touch* also explores some intriguingly unfamiliar sounds. The cinematic doo-wop of “Night Gang” could have easily served as the score for a futuristic spaghetti western—I never would’ve imagined Tortoise creating a track like this before hearing it.
To commemorate the release of *Touch*, Tortoise will perform a one-off collaboration with the Chicago Philharmonic, marking another bold step onto new turf for the band—one they are well equipped to make their own.
**Event Details:**
**Tortoise with the Chicago Philharmonic**
Tuesday, November 11 | 7:30 PM
Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells
Tickets: $71–$224, all ages welcome
https://chicagoreader.com/music/concert-preview/postrock-tortoise-chicago-philharmonic/
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