Review Summary: like expired film dipped in bleach.
New Orleans duo Belong don't like to do the same thing twice. Turk Dietrich and Michael Jones have always made the music that
they wanted to hear, regardless of their audience, but now I'm starting to think that they also just enjoy alienating people. They put their name on the map in 2006 with
October Language; a gorgeous ambient record that was bathed in waves of distorted euphoria. Then in 2011,
Common Era saw the duo implement drums, rhythmic bass, and a higher focus on structure and vocals into the mix, all while retaining those ethereal washed out textures that their debut was known for. The move toward a more driven post-punk sound was surely a disappointment to some, but I have always regarded it as a masterclass in mood and atmosphere.
Flash forward 13 years, and Belong have returned out of the blue to once again ask the question; Are you with us, or not? Because the bus is leaving in five...
Realistic IX continues in the same general direction as
Common Era, but in a vastly different vehicle that is surprisingly mechanical and harsh. The free flowing textures that gave their previous works such a humanistic warmth have been mostly eschewed in favour of highly synchronized and bright guitar strums backed by drums which are uncomfortably punchy and sharp. The vocals are also buried lower in the mix and sound more robotic than ever, leading to an atmosphere that is altogether less emotionally evocative. The highlights on this album actually end up being the less bass driven and more ambient focused cuts such as "Crucial Years", "Bleach" and "AM / PM", where the group removes the vocals and turns down the snap of the snare drum to lean back into creating hazy, acid-washed techno soundscapes. Many of the other tracks are based around repetitive chord patterns and fail to distinguish themselves outside of having a slightly different textural make-up. Once you hear the opening track, you've pretty much heard them all.
That doesn't mean they aren't worth listening to, however. Some more diversity in song structure would have gone a long way in making
Realistic IX the comeback hit that it deserved to be, but there is still something oddly intriguing and dream-like about this record—like expired film dipped in bleach, or an acid trip on the beach. The prominence of crunchy guitar chords in the mix implies a more human affect, but this is also somehow their most distant and cold sounding record to date. If I had to choose an album to represent the symbiosis of human soul with artificial intelligence (or perhaps artificial soul with human intelligence),
Realistic IX might be the winner. It's an interesting concept, but it doesn't necessarily result in the most engaging music. Either way, I still welcome Belong back from their absence with open arms and a willingness to give their vision a chance to grow.
