Over a decade since their last album, Belong return to Kranky with a cloud of compressed, overdriven guitar and tinny drum machine loops contrasted with passages of smudged ambience, somewhere between MBV, JAMC and Vladislav Delay's vaporous dubs.
When Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich released 'October Language' way back in 2006, their careful fusion of shoegaze and digitally-swallowed ambience felt necessary. It was a reaction of sorts not just to Christian Fennesz's digitally enhanced walls of guitar noise, but the wider world's re-appraisal of shoegaze, a genre that had appeared only briefly before mainstream critics diverted their attentions to Britpop. In the early '00s, the tide seemed to shift when shoegaze's quiet legion of bedroom listeners came of age and inserted its euphoric bombast into new templates, and Belong were inarguably at the forefront of that generation. 2013's 'Common Era' was a surprise, an attempt to harness the awestruck pop of day-zero shoegaze (think MBV and The Durutti Column) without losing the experimental momentum of 'October Language', and 'Realistic IX' propels us even further into the grain and grit, crossbreeding tape-warped 'Loveless'-pilled songcraft with hallucinogenic, cacophonous dub techno.
Opening jam 'Realistic' sets the scene, curling breathy vocals through a bricked-up sonic alcove of compressed, overdriven guitar chords and tinny drum machine loops. The record begins to mutate as it stretches out, drawing parallels between shoegaze and aggy, shadowy post-punk ('Realistic (I'm Still Waiting)' before tipping into sputtering, Chain Reaction-esque dub techno on 'Crucial Years'. The key here is the continuity; Belong never completely trade one sound for another. The crashing, crunch-fried guitars are still there, just split into granules and clouded over rolling kicks and frayed percussion.
Unsurprisingly, it's when these elements collide most conspicuously that the album jerks into full speed. 'Bleach' is like a blurred fantasy with two tapes playing alongside each other: the unmistakable melodies and gravelly distortion of Jesus and Mary Chain with psychedelic, scurrying electronic rhythms that carry the weight of Deitrich's fractal Second Woman project. 'Image of Love' is even more assertive, a radio-friendly swooner that's dragged out of the late '80s pedalboard phase with its nervy electroid ticks and a clever use of sidechain . At their core, Belong still make luscious ambient music, crammed with all the harmonic bliss that made 'October Language' so vital, but they're careful to repeat themselves - 'Realistic IX' wonders what those textures might do to revitalize full blown pop songs.
And if you're here for the dub, they hold back the best for last with 'AM/PM', a cavernous 4/4 belter that's worth the price tag alone. Optimistic and exuberant gear - absolutely essential listening if yr into JAMC, Ride, Bowery Electric, Curve, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack et al.
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Over a decade since their last album, Belong return to Kranky with a cloud of compressed, overdriven guitar and tinny drum machine loops contrasted with passages of smudged ambience, somewhere between MBV, JAMC and Vladislav Delay's vaporous dubs.
When Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich released 'October Language' way back in 2006, their careful fusion of shoegaze and digitally-swallowed ambience felt necessary. It was a reaction of sorts not just to Christian Fennesz's digitally enhanced walls of guitar noise, but the wider world's re-appraisal of shoegaze, a genre that had appeared only briefly before mainstream critics diverted their attentions to Britpop. In the early '00s, the tide seemed to shift when shoegaze's quiet legion of bedroom listeners came of age and inserted its euphoric bombast into new templates, and Belong were inarguably at the forefront of that generation. 2013's 'Common Era' was a surprise, an attempt to harness the awestruck pop of day-zero shoegaze (think MBV and The Durutti Column) without losing the experimental momentum of 'October Language', and 'Realistic IX' propels us even further into the grain and grit, crossbreeding tape-warped 'Loveless'-pilled songcraft with hallucinogenic, cacophonous dub techno.
Opening jam 'Realistic' sets the scene, curling breathy vocals through a bricked-up sonic alcove of compressed, overdriven guitar chords and tinny drum machine loops. The record begins to mutate as it stretches out, drawing parallels between shoegaze and aggy, shadowy post-punk ('Realistic (I'm Still Waiting)' before tipping into sputtering, Chain Reaction-esque dub techno on 'Crucial Years'. The key here is the continuity; Belong never completely trade one sound for another. The crashing, crunch-fried guitars are still there, just split into granules and clouded over rolling kicks and frayed percussion.
Unsurprisingly, it's when these elements collide most conspicuously that the album jerks into full speed. 'Bleach' is like a blurred fantasy with two tapes playing alongside each other: the unmistakable melodies and gravelly distortion of Jesus and Mary Chain with psychedelic, scurrying electronic rhythms that carry the weight of Deitrich's fractal Second Woman project. 'Image of Love' is even more assertive, a radio-friendly swooner that's dragged out of the late '80s pedalboard phase with its nervy electroid ticks and a clever use of sidechain . At their core, Belong still make luscious ambient music, crammed with all the harmonic bliss that made 'October Language' so vital, but they're careful to repeat themselves - 'Realistic IX' wonders what those textures might do to revitalize full blown pop songs.
And if you're here for the dub, they hold back the best for last with 'AM/PM', a cavernous 4/4 belter that's worth the price tag alone. Optimistic and exuberant gear - absolutely essential listening if yr into JAMC, Ride, Bowery Electric, Curve, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack et al.
Over a decade since their last album, Belong return to Kranky with a cloud of compressed, overdriven guitar and tinny drum machine loops contrasted with passages of smudged ambience, somewhere between MBV, JAMC and Vladislav Delay's vaporous dubs.
When Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich released 'October Language' way back in 2006, their careful fusion of shoegaze and digitally-swallowed ambience felt necessary. It was a reaction of sorts not just to Christian Fennesz's digitally enhanced walls of guitar noise, but the wider world's re-appraisal of shoegaze, a genre that had appeared only briefly before mainstream critics diverted their attentions to Britpop. In the early '00s, the tide seemed to shift when shoegaze's quiet legion of bedroom listeners came of age and inserted its euphoric bombast into new templates, and Belong were inarguably at the forefront of that generation. 2013's 'Common Era' was a surprise, an attempt to harness the awestruck pop of day-zero shoegaze (think MBV and The Durutti Column) without losing the experimental momentum of 'October Language', and 'Realistic IX' propels us even further into the grain and grit, crossbreeding tape-warped 'Loveless'-pilled songcraft with hallucinogenic, cacophonous dub techno.
Opening jam 'Realistic' sets the scene, curling breathy vocals through a bricked-up sonic alcove of compressed, overdriven guitar chords and tinny drum machine loops. The record begins to mutate as it stretches out, drawing parallels between shoegaze and aggy, shadowy post-punk ('Realistic (I'm Still Waiting)' before tipping into sputtering, Chain Reaction-esque dub techno on 'Crucial Years'. The key here is the continuity; Belong never completely trade one sound for another. The crashing, crunch-fried guitars are still there, just split into granules and clouded over rolling kicks and frayed percussion.
Unsurprisingly, it's when these elements collide most conspicuously that the album jerks into full speed. 'Bleach' is like a blurred fantasy with two tapes playing alongside each other: the unmistakable melodies and gravelly distortion of Jesus and Mary Chain with psychedelic, scurrying electronic rhythms that carry the weight of Deitrich's fractal Second Woman project. 'Image of Love' is even more assertive, a radio-friendly swooner that's dragged out of the late '80s pedalboard phase with its nervy electroid ticks and a clever use of sidechain . At their core, Belong still make luscious ambient music, crammed with all the harmonic bliss that made 'October Language' so vital, but they're careful to repeat themselves - 'Realistic IX' wonders what those textures might do to revitalize full blown pop songs.
And if you're here for the dub, they hold back the best for last with 'AM/PM', a cavernous 4/4 belter that's worth the price tag alone. Optimistic and exuberant gear - absolutely essential listening if yr into JAMC, Ride, Bowery Electric, Curve, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack et al.
Over a decade since their last album, Belong return to Kranky with a cloud of compressed, overdriven guitar and tinny drum machine loops contrasted with passages of smudged ambience, somewhere between MBV, JAMC and Vladislav Delay's vaporous dubs.
When Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich released 'October Language' way back in 2006, their careful fusion of shoegaze and digitally-swallowed ambience felt necessary. It was a reaction of sorts not just to Christian Fennesz's digitally enhanced walls of guitar noise, but the wider world's re-appraisal of shoegaze, a genre that had appeared only briefly before mainstream critics diverted their attentions to Britpop. In the early '00s, the tide seemed to shift when shoegaze's quiet legion of bedroom listeners came of age and inserted its euphoric bombast into new templates, and Belong were inarguably at the forefront of that generation. 2013's 'Common Era' was a surprise, an attempt to harness the awestruck pop of day-zero shoegaze (think MBV and The Durutti Column) without losing the experimental momentum of 'October Language', and 'Realistic IX' propels us even further into the grain and grit, crossbreeding tape-warped 'Loveless'-pilled songcraft with hallucinogenic, cacophonous dub techno.
Opening jam 'Realistic' sets the scene, curling breathy vocals through a bricked-up sonic alcove of compressed, overdriven guitar chords and tinny drum machine loops. The record begins to mutate as it stretches out, drawing parallels between shoegaze and aggy, shadowy post-punk ('Realistic (I'm Still Waiting)' before tipping into sputtering, Chain Reaction-esque dub techno on 'Crucial Years'. The key here is the continuity; Belong never completely trade one sound for another. The crashing, crunch-fried guitars are still there, just split into granules and clouded over rolling kicks and frayed percussion.
Unsurprisingly, it's when these elements collide most conspicuously that the album jerks into full speed. 'Bleach' is like a blurred fantasy with two tapes playing alongside each other: the unmistakable melodies and gravelly distortion of Jesus and Mary Chain with psychedelic, scurrying electronic rhythms that carry the weight of Deitrich's fractal Second Woman project. 'Image of Love' is even more assertive, a radio-friendly swooner that's dragged out of the late '80s pedalboard phase with its nervy electroid ticks and a clever use of sidechain . At their core, Belong still make luscious ambient music, crammed with all the harmonic bliss that made 'October Language' so vital, but they're careful to repeat themselves - 'Realistic IX' wonders what those textures might do to revitalize full blown pop songs.
And if you're here for the dub, they hold back the best for last with 'AM/PM', a cavernous 4/4 belter that's worth the price tag alone. Optimistic and exuberant gear - absolutely essential listening if yr into JAMC, Ride, Bowery Electric, Curve, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack et al.
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Available To Order (Estimated Shipping between 7-14 Working Days)
This item is to the best of our knowledge available to us from the supplier and should ship to you within the time-frame indicated. If there are any unforeseen issues with availability we will notify you immediately
Over a decade since their last album, Belong return to Kranky with a cloud of compressed, overdriven guitar and tinny drum machine loops contrasted with passages of smudged ambience, somewhere between MBV, JAMC and Vladislav Delay's vaporous dubs.
When Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich released 'October Language' way back in 2006, their careful fusion of shoegaze and digitally-swallowed ambience felt necessary. It was a reaction of sorts not just to Christian Fennesz's digitally enhanced walls of guitar noise, but the wider world's re-appraisal of shoegaze, a genre that had appeared only briefly before mainstream critics diverted their attentions to Britpop. In the early '00s, the tide seemed to shift when shoegaze's quiet legion of bedroom listeners came of age and inserted its euphoric bombast into new templates, and Belong were inarguably at the forefront of that generation. 2013's 'Common Era' was a surprise, an attempt to harness the awestruck pop of day-zero shoegaze (think MBV and The Durutti Column) without losing the experimental momentum of 'October Language', and 'Realistic IX' propels us even further into the grain and grit, crossbreeding tape-warped 'Loveless'-pilled songcraft with hallucinogenic, cacophonous dub techno.
Opening jam 'Realistic' sets the scene, curling breathy vocals through a bricked-up sonic alcove of compressed, overdriven guitar chords and tinny drum machine loops. The record begins to mutate as it stretches out, drawing parallels between shoegaze and aggy, shadowy post-punk ('Realistic (I'm Still Waiting)' before tipping into sputtering, Chain Reaction-esque dub techno on 'Crucial Years'. The key here is the continuity; Belong never completely trade one sound for another. The crashing, crunch-fried guitars are still there, just split into granules and clouded over rolling kicks and frayed percussion.
Unsurprisingly, it's when these elements collide most conspicuously that the album jerks into full speed. 'Bleach' is like a blurred fantasy with two tapes playing alongside each other: the unmistakable melodies and gravelly distortion of Jesus and Mary Chain with psychedelic, scurrying electronic rhythms that carry the weight of Deitrich's fractal Second Woman project. 'Image of Love' is even more assertive, a radio-friendly swooner that's dragged out of the late '80s pedalboard phase with its nervy electroid ticks and a clever use of sidechain . At their core, Belong still make luscious ambient music, crammed with all the harmonic bliss that made 'October Language' so vital, but they're careful to repeat themselves - 'Realistic IX' wonders what those textures might do to revitalize full blown pop songs.
And if you're here for the dub, they hold back the best for last with 'AM/PM', a cavernous 4/4 belter that's worth the price tag alone. Optimistic and exuberant gear - absolutely essential listening if yr into JAMC, Ride, Bowery Electric, Curve, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack et al.
Available To Order (Estimated Shipping between 7-14 Working Days)
This item is to the best of our knowledge available to us from the supplier and should ship to you within the time-frame indicated. If there are any unforeseen issues with availability we will notify you immediately
Over a decade since their last album, Belong return to Kranky with a cloud of compressed, overdriven guitar and tinny drum machine loops contrasted with passages of smudged ambience, somewhere between MBV, JAMC and Vladislav Delay's vaporous dubs.
When Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich released 'October Language' way back in 2006, their careful fusion of shoegaze and digitally-swallowed ambience felt necessary. It was a reaction of sorts not just to Christian Fennesz's digitally enhanced walls of guitar noise, but the wider world's re-appraisal of shoegaze, a genre that had appeared only briefly before mainstream critics diverted their attentions to Britpop. In the early '00s, the tide seemed to shift when shoegaze's quiet legion of bedroom listeners came of age and inserted its euphoric bombast into new templates, and Belong were inarguably at the forefront of that generation. 2013's 'Common Era' was a surprise, an attempt to harness the awestruck pop of day-zero shoegaze (think MBV and The Durutti Column) without losing the experimental momentum of 'October Language', and 'Realistic IX' propels us even further into the grain and grit, crossbreeding tape-warped 'Loveless'-pilled songcraft with hallucinogenic, cacophonous dub techno.
Opening jam 'Realistic' sets the scene, curling breathy vocals through a bricked-up sonic alcove of compressed, overdriven guitar chords and tinny drum machine loops. The record begins to mutate as it stretches out, drawing parallels between shoegaze and aggy, shadowy post-punk ('Realistic (I'm Still Waiting)' before tipping into sputtering, Chain Reaction-esque dub techno on 'Crucial Years'. The key here is the continuity; Belong never completely trade one sound for another. The crashing, crunch-fried guitars are still there, just split into granules and clouded over rolling kicks and frayed percussion.
Unsurprisingly, it's when these elements collide most conspicuously that the album jerks into full speed. 'Bleach' is like a blurred fantasy with two tapes playing alongside each other: the unmistakable melodies and gravelly distortion of Jesus and Mary Chain with psychedelic, scurrying electronic rhythms that carry the weight of Deitrich's fractal Second Woman project. 'Image of Love' is even more assertive, a radio-friendly swooner that's dragged out of the late '80s pedalboard phase with its nervy electroid ticks and a clever use of sidechain . At their core, Belong still make luscious ambient music, crammed with all the harmonic bliss that made 'October Language' so vital, but they're careful to repeat themselves - 'Realistic IX' wonders what those textures might do to revitalize full blown pop songs.
And if you're here for the dub, they hold back the best for last with 'AM/PM', a cavernous 4/4 belter that's worth the price tag alone. Optimistic and exuberant gear - absolutely essential listening if yr into JAMC, Ride, Bowery Electric, Curve, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack et al.