Belgian post-punk band Whispering Sons have released their debut album ‘Image’. The LP is comprised of ten tracks, and will be released via Cleopatra Records in North America and Smile Records in Europe. Take a listen to their track Stalemate, which is lifted from the LP via Soundcloud below.
This is the first major release for this Brussels-based outfit since their ‘Endless Party’ EP in 2015. This new release represents what the band describes as a “giant leap forward”. Together with producer Micha Volders and engineer/co-producer Bert Vliegen, the band used their time in the studio as a means to broaden their sound, enriching it with acoustic drums and a whole range of synthesizers.
This album, recorded over a period of ten days at GAM Studios in Belgium, evokes an atmosphere that is ominous and urging, while capturing the band’s live intensity. Mixed by Bert Libeert (Goose, B, Raving George – Charlotte de Witte) at Jetson Studio and mastered by Frederik Dejongh (Hooverphonic) at Jerboa Mastering, this work is tinged with angst and isolation. Lyrically these songs stem from alienation, distance and inertia.
The songs on Image were written after the band collectively moved to Brussels in 2016. Between intense touring, they channeled their new ideas into the music found on this album. Feeding on the dynamics of the city, the tracks unveil feelings of alienation and distance. ‘Image’ is a motionless state, in which observations overshadow actions. It reflects the artificiality of things, yet still desperately clings on to ideals and obsessions, something which is also strengthened by the cover artwork, created of Flor Maesen.
Whispering Sons won Belgium’s prestigious Rock Rally in 2016, the same national contest that launched the career of dEUS. Since then they released several 7 inches – ‘Performance/Strange Identities’ (2016) and ‘White Noise’ (2017), and the ‘Endless Party’ EP. Touring extensively in Europe, they’ve developed a reputation for their animated performances.
The ‘Image’ LP is available everywhere now, and you can order it Cleopatra Records on CD and also digitally via Bandcamp.
The following evening at 8pm Belgian time / 2pm Eastern time / 11am Pacific time, fans can enjoy a live stream of the band’s sold out at Brussels’ Ancienne Belgique via their website or watch directly on Facebook.
Track list
1. Stalemate
2. Got A Light
3. Alone
4. Skin
5. No Time
6. Fragments
7. Hollow
8. Waste
9. Dense
10. No Image
Whispering Sons is Sander Hermans (synth), Fenne Kuppens (vocals), Kobe Lijnen (guitar), Sander Pelsmaekers (drums) and Tuur Vandeborne (bass).
The band just wrapped up a mini-tour with The Soft Moon, but look forward to a series of shows with Gang of Four and headlining a series of European live dates in November in support of this album.
Tour dates
Oct. 19 Rotterdam, Netherlands – Left of the Dial Festival
Oct. 20 Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
Oct. 22 Eindhoven, Netherlands – Dutch Design Week
Oct. 24 Kortrijk, Belgium – De Kreun (with Gang of Four)
Oct. 25 Den Haag, Netherlands – Paard van Troje (with Gang of Four)
Oct. 31 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Sugarfactory
Nov. 2 Berlin, Germany – Bi Nuu
Nov. 3 Bochum, Germany – Kulturbahnhof
Nov. 9 Cologne, Germany – Gebaüde 9
Nov. 10 Namur, Belgium – Belvédère
Nov. 21 Paris, France – Olympic Café
Nov. 24 Turin, Italy – Padiglione 14
Nov. 25 Vignola, Italy – Circolo Arci Ribalta
Nov. 27 Budapest, Hungary – Dürer Kert
Nov. 29 Prague, Czech Republic – Meetfactory
Dec. 1 Genk, Belgium – Sinner’s Day Festival (Limburghal)
Dec. 8 Turnhout, Belgium – Kuub
Dec. 14 Gent, Belgium – De Centrale
Jan. 18 Hannover, Germany – LUX
Jan. 19 Hamburg, Germany – Das Bett
Jan. 25 Hamburg, Germany – Hafenklang
Jan. 26 Leipzig, Germany – Moritzbastei
Feb. 2 Hasselt, Belgium – Muziekodroom
Mar. 29 Leicester, UK – Darker Days 2019
