postrock

Post-rock is a branch of rock music that de-emphasizes traditional verse-chorus song structures and vocal-driven emphasis in favor of texture, atmosphere, and long instrumental passages. It commonly uses guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and occasionally strings or field recordings, with tracks that are often instrumental or feature sparse vocals. The emphasis is on mood and timbre, with dynamic builds and gradual developments rather than standard pop song formats.

The term emerged in the late 1980s and 1990s in the United States and the United Kingdom as musicians explored sound and structure beyond conventional rock. Early touchstones include the experimental and post-hardcore scenes, and bands whose work shifted toward instrumental storytelling, such as Slint and Tortoise. From the 1990s onward, bands like Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Explosions in the Sky, Mono, and Sigur Rós helped popularize a cinematic, expansive approach.

Core characteristics include an emphasis on texture over riff-based writing, extended instrumental passages, and a focus on dynamics, repetition, and orchestration. Guitars are often processed with effects to create drones and atmospheres, while bass, drums, keyboards, and orchestral elements broaden the palette. The music frequently draws on ambient, minimalism, krautrock, and jazz influences.

Post-rock has had lasting influence within indie and experimental music and has found use in films and television. It remains a diverse field, with bands worldwide continuing to push instrumental, mood-driven soundscapes in new directions.