31 Knots fuses complex rhythms with jagged guitars for mathematical songs that zigzag through changes and anxious start-stop riffs, calling to mind Sonic Youth, Modest Mouse, the Ex, and even Fugazi's more challenging work. Experimentalists on par with bands like Tortoise, the members of 31 Knots stand apart by playing music that is distinctly rock & roll, though not easily classifiable as prog rock or math rock.