We Speak Music
Captain Kaiser are back with a new single “Roadkill” and a new album “Belgian Boy” due on 10 October via [PIAS] Recordings.
In eight years, Captain Kaiser has become one of Belgium’s leading punk bands. Still proudly rooted in the Kempen region, their sound equally nods to the undiluted emotion of High Vis and the open-mindedness of Viagra Boys. For frontman Sascha Vansant’s band, punk is not a sound, but an attitude: anything goes, as long as it’s loud and real.
Their new, fourth album “Belgian Boy” released on 10th October is another step forward: even more real, even more accomplished, with even more room for new and unhinged sounds. The logical next step, after the giant leap they took two years ago with “RHYME&REASON”, a chunk of blood-curdling post-punk with which Vansant processed the death of his mother. The band also made a big step forward on stage. “RHYME&REASON” took them to Pukkelpop, Jera-On-Air, sold out club shows in Belgium and Holland and their first shows in the UK.
On “Belgian Boy” there’s more room for light. It’s clear from the moment the chorus sets in on first single “Roadkill”. Vansant leads us around his own head, stopping in a place where his thoughts collide until it hurts. ‘But when I’m driving in this traffic jam inside my brain / I feel I’m getting scared again,’ he sings. The barren dressing of the verses allows the chorus to erupt even more violently. It’s a killer single!
“Belgian Boy” was recorded at Ocean Sound in Giske, Norway, a place where Arcade Fire and Sigrid, among others, have recorded. Record label [PIAS] stayed on board, as did “RHYME&REASON” producer Jay Maas (Defeater). Guitarist Maarten Van Dam passed on the pick in friendship to Quinten Pas (Spare Kid).
We Speak Music
Christian Balvig releases gorgeous new album ‘Find And You Will Seek’ in collaboration with Ensemble Hermes.
Acclaimed composer and arranger Christian Balvig is known for his work with an array of artists and bands like Jade, Efterklang, Lowly, When Saints Go Machine and Mew, as well as his work with some of the most acclaimed orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia (BBC Proms), The Royal Danish Orchestra, Copenhagen Phil, London Contemporary Orchestra, The Danish Radio Broadcast Orchestra and The Norwegian Wind Ensemble.
The cinematic sound on his new album might echo Balvig’s work in the world of film and TV music. Scoring the 2025 Oscar shortlisted short movie ‘Eternal Father’ and the Danish hit series ‘Cry Wolf’ (Ulven Kommer), which has been shown on television in more than 30 countries around the globe, including Channel 4 in the UK. He was also nominated for a Harpa award for ‘Best score’ last year at the Berlinale for ‘The Son and the Moon (Min Arv Bor I Dig)’.
Balvig’s new album, ‘Find And You Will Seek’, backed by Danish string group Ensemble Hermes, grew organically out of this background of experiences and is music that appeals to listeners seeking original, immersive music with space for reflection and contemplation.
‘Find And You Will Seek’ is a collection of chamber works that explore the combination of piano and strings in new ways. Recent single ‘The BirdSuite II – Praesentia’ is part of a 3-part Suite running throughout the record, written and performed on a custom made “Keybird” piano, which is an una-corda (one string pr note) piano that gives a more subtle and intimate sound. On top of it is a lush and emotional string ensemble arrangement with Ensemble Hermes in multiple layers fluctuating in and out of the keybird piano.
Balvig’s second single from the record is ‘What Happened To The World’, an ultra transparent neo-classical inspired piece, with slow melodic structures, a simple chord progression and emotional performance starting with a floating viola solo. It is written from the feeling that the world sometimes goes backwards, and you feel left on the platform wanting to take the train in a different direction.
From film music inspired pieces to experimental chamber music over piano concerto inspired movements, to more neo-classical productions with almost orchestral sounding dubs of strings, ‘Find And You Will Seek’ flows with emotions and lush sound worlds, always with a tangible organic texture.
Find Christian Balvig and Ensemble Hermes on tour in Denmark:
27.5 Ansgars Kirke (Odense)
28.5 Folkegaarden Festival (Aalborg)
29.5 Gnisten (Ry)
30.5 Musikhuset (Aarhus)
1.6 Basement (Copenhagen)
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