Alex Lewis and Jake Nussbaum first started making music together when they were in high school in 2004, and they soon got the post-rock bug. In 2019, the two reconnected to form The Early and since then, the Philadelphia-based duo have been putting their own stamp on the genre. Post-rock might not be a shiny new genre anymore as it was when they were kids, but The Early is injecting new life into it.
Lewis (guitar, synthesizers) and Nussbaum (drums, electronics) have somehow managed to pull together pretty much all the nice aspects of the music style, where the bands before them would focus on perhaps just a portion of them. Improvisation rules but so does the linear, unwavering grooves. The dispassionate economy of chords is countered by the spiritual cleansing of accretion and release.
I Want To Be Ready (February 27 2026, Island House Recordings) quickly follows their Cusp EP from January 2026 and is their next full step forward from 2023’s long player Impatient.
It has the same sort of vibe as The Necks in that the melody (or perhaps more accurately, motif) is static and moves like a glacier in a minimalist way, while most of the action is happening just beneath the surface. The Early’s direct influences suggest cues have been taken more from Chicago than from Australia, however; Nussbaum studied under Chad Taylor while Lewis’ guitar owes debts to Jeff Parker and Jim O’Rourke.
The Early can also leverage silence and space. “The Laughing Earth” begins as a barely audible din. Bits of electronica are sprinkled over the bossa nova(!) rhythm but with an human touch and the synth washes add an ambient element. It all comes together organically.
Nussbaum really sets himself apart from his peers for “Hill Forms,” where the use of woodblocks, bells and other percussive accessories go hand-in-hand with a thundering groove. Just as effectively, he can make disturbing rumbles below Lewis’ drones for “Flossless,” where the latter’s guitar slowly emerges with mind-calming Eastern flourishes. Nussbaum returns as the focal point and opens up his drum kit this time, sharply contrasting with the Zen from Lewis.
“I Want To Be Ready” puts a bow on the whole thing with a stirring buildup paced by Lewis’ arpeggiated chords.
If you like your post-rock with healthy doses of passion and freedom, The Early’s I Want To Be Ready is here to serve you. Pre-order/order their latest album from Bandcamp.
| Album Cover | Artist | Title | Format | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Necks | Disquiet | CD | Purchase Here |
 | Talk Talk | Laughing Stock | CD | Purchase Here |
 | Tortoise | Millions Now Living Will Never Die | CD | Purchase Here |
 | Don Caballero | American Don | CD | Purchase Here |
- Alabaster DePlume, “Bringing Up the Nakba” from ‘Dear Children of Our Children, I Knew: Epilogue’ (2026): Something Else! sneak peek - March 17, 2026
- Adam O’Farrill – ‘ELEPHANT’ (2026) - March 16, 2026
- Peter Somuah – ‘Walking Distance’ (2026) - March 13, 2026
