We Stood Like Kings - "Koyaanisqatsi"
Band: We Stood Like Kings
Album title: "USA 1982"
Subtitle: A new soundtrack for the movie "Koyaanisqatsi"
Release date: Friday September 22, 2017
Label: Kapitän Platte
Belgian band "We Stood Like Kings" will release their third movieproject entitled "USA 1982" in September. "ICIT Webzine" had the honour to listen to the album one month ahead of it´s release. Here´s our thoughts.
The 11-track album starts of with the neo-classical piece "Holy Ghosts" which includes Judith´s brilliant piano-work before the rest of the band joins her midways. If you heard the two previous albums by the band you will recognize some of the sonic sounds on this the third album. Yet, this album is so well-crafted in both of terms of the sound-production and as well of the amazing skills of the musicians, so it´s unavoidable not to say that this is their most complete album so far.
The album is the soundtrack for the movie ""Koyaanisqatsi", but it works very well if you close your eyes and just listen to the soundscapes that "We Stood Like Kings" brings to your soul and mind.
One of the strengths of the album´s running order is that you can listen to the album without knowing when one song stops and where the next starts. That´s a sign of great composition by the band.
Instrumental music these days can be very diverse and it´s very hard to find your own genre, yet with this album "We Stood Like Kings" has really found their place in the world of instrumental music. With the track "Heat Haze" they explore a minimalistic sound as the song starts, to fully embrace the whole band in the last passage of the beautiful song. What stands out the most is that the band don´t fall into the obvious "Crescendo sickness" which many post-rock bands never manage to find the cure for.
A song like "33 Eleven" describes this bands unique effort in bringing their listener something new in a world full of clichés. The songs on this album grows naturally and doesn´t feel forced, just sonically well-crafted.
If their last two albums sounded a bit moody and at times a bit dark, this album has a sense of optimism that perhaps previous albums lacked a bit.
One should also notice the bassplaying of Colin Delloye, who almost plays some "Free-Jazz basslines" in the song "Grand Illusion". The drummer Mathieu Waterkeyn sounds at times like a heavy metal-drummer who lays down drumtracks that easily could fit within a "Goth Metal"-band and that is the strength of this record. Combine this elements with guitar-player Philip Bolten, who managed to beautifully add athmosphere to the tracks without overdoing it. Sometimes a bit of reverb-feedback is only what it takes to make the guitar-work very intriguing. The guitar-work on this album surpasses the previous albums.
Another strength with this new album is that the band takes you on a journey which gives the listener a sense of that everything´s gonna be alright. Just like a good movie there are unpleasant feelings and events taking place, yet when the movie stops you have a nice and relaxed feeling that tells you that "everything is alright, don´t worry".
This album gives you a feeling of hope in a world of turmoil and the title "Koyaanisqatsi" can mean "a state of life that calls for another way of living". This sums up the overall feeling of listening to the album. This album will most likely be high up on the lists of "best instrumental bands of the year".
Is there anything that "We Stood Like Kings" could have done better one may ask? The recording itself is excellent, every instrument can be heard, every stroke of the cymbals are there, you really feel like you sit in a circle with the band playing live for you. If feels complete, but perhaps one could wish for an non-electrical instrument like a trumpet or some brass. I know, it might sound weird to ask for that, but to try to add perhaps a guest-musician to one song or two could perhaps worked for the band´s advantage. Othwerwise the end of the song "Machines" is a superb composition where you could almost hear a distant jazz-trumpet if you close your eyes and imagine that.
To sum it up. It´s the best effort so far by "We Stood Like Kings". It´s more uplifting and well-crafted than their previous two albums, which in themselves were very good. Yet, on the third album you can hear a band with full confidence and a band which knows how to make an emotional connection to their listeners. Every composition is there for a reason and when you have listened to the last song you are left with a feeling of wanting even more.
If you dare to step into the world of "Koyaanisqatsi" you will be rewarded by something unique for your mind, soul and ears. It´s a ride you need to take. The year of 2017 just got better with this release.
Album title: "USA 1982"
Subtitle: A new soundtrack for the movie "Koyaanisqatsi"
Release date: Friday September 22, 2017
Label: Kapitän Platte
Belgian band "We Stood Like Kings" will release their third movieproject entitled "USA 1982" in September. "ICIT Webzine" had the honour to listen to the album one month ahead of it´s release. Here´s our thoughts.
The 11-track album starts of with the neo-classical piece "Holy Ghosts" which includes Judith´s brilliant piano-work before the rest of the band joins her midways. If you heard the two previous albums by the band you will recognize some of the sonic sounds on this the third album. Yet, this album is so well-crafted in both of terms of the sound-production and as well of the amazing skills of the musicians, so it´s unavoidable not to say that this is their most complete album so far.
The album is the soundtrack for the movie ""Koyaanisqatsi", but it works very well if you close your eyes and just listen to the soundscapes that "We Stood Like Kings" brings to your soul and mind.
One of the strengths of the album´s running order is that you can listen to the album without knowing when one song stops and where the next starts. That´s a sign of great composition by the band.
Instrumental music these days can be very diverse and it´s very hard to find your own genre, yet with this album "We Stood Like Kings" has really found their place in the world of instrumental music. With the track "Heat Haze" they explore a minimalistic sound as the song starts, to fully embrace the whole band in the last passage of the beautiful song. What stands out the most is that the band don´t fall into the obvious "Crescendo sickness" which many post-rock bands never manage to find the cure for.
A song like "33 Eleven" describes this bands unique effort in bringing their listener something new in a world full of clichés. The songs on this album grows naturally and doesn´t feel forced, just sonically well-crafted.
If their last two albums sounded a bit moody and at times a bit dark, this album has a sense of optimism that perhaps previous albums lacked a bit.
One should also notice the bassplaying of Colin Delloye, who almost plays some "Free-Jazz basslines" in the song "Grand Illusion". The drummer Mathieu Waterkeyn sounds at times like a heavy metal-drummer who lays down drumtracks that easily could fit within a "Goth Metal"-band and that is the strength of this record. Combine this elements with guitar-player Philip Bolten, who managed to beautifully add athmosphere to the tracks without overdoing it. Sometimes a bit of reverb-feedback is only what it takes to make the guitar-work very intriguing. The guitar-work on this album surpasses the previous albums.
Another strength with this new album is that the band takes you on a journey which gives the listener a sense of that everything´s gonna be alright. Just like a good movie there are unpleasant feelings and events taking place, yet when the movie stops you have a nice and relaxed feeling that tells you that "everything is alright, don´t worry".
This album gives you a feeling of hope in a world of turmoil and the title "Koyaanisqatsi" can mean "a state of life that calls for another way of living". This sums up the overall feeling of listening to the album. This album will most likely be high up on the lists of "best instrumental bands of the year".
Is there anything that "We Stood Like Kings" could have done better one may ask? The recording itself is excellent, every instrument can be heard, every stroke of the cymbals are there, you really feel like you sit in a circle with the band playing live for you. If feels complete, but perhaps one could wish for an non-electrical instrument like a trumpet or some brass. I know, it might sound weird to ask for that, but to try to add perhaps a guest-musician to one song or two could perhaps worked for the band´s advantage. Othwerwise the end of the song "Machines" is a superb composition where you could almost hear a distant jazz-trumpet if you close your eyes and imagine that.
To sum it up. It´s the best effort so far by "We Stood Like Kings". It´s more uplifting and well-crafted than their previous two albums, which in themselves were very good. Yet, on the third album you can hear a band with full confidence and a band which knows how to make an emotional connection to their listeners. Every composition is there for a reason and when you have listened to the last song you are left with a feeling of wanting even more.
If you dare to step into the world of "Koyaanisqatsi" you will be rewarded by something unique for your mind, soul and ears. It´s a ride you need to take. The year of 2017 just got better with this release.
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