Neuguitars 2024 #36 The umpteenth return of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. "NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD"
Epic. Ethical. Progressive. Adrenaline-pumping. Apocalyptic. Integrated. Godspeed You! Black Emperor are one of the cult bands in the global independent scene, with an unbreakable reputation that for thirty years has allowed them to move forward in the production of epic, long and instrumental compositions, with a visceral passion for an atmospheric sound that blends elements of experimental rock, drone, progressive and orchestral music. I have been following their exploits since their first LP F♯ A♯ ∞ (1997) characterized from the very beginning by a dark and minimalist atmosphere, with tracks that seem to describe a post-apocalyptic landscape. A trademark that has never abandoned each of their new releases since then.
Their new album “"NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD", released on October 4, 2024, yet another chapter in their epic and ethical saga. What does "NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD" offer? Very little, or rather almost nothing to what we already know and what we have heard in all their previous works: GY!BE do not change much of what we have long been consistently accustomed to, maintaining with granite coherence, their stylistic figures, which I am going to list and update here again.
GY!BE's sound is characterized by complex and layered arrangements, often built around emotional crescendos. The main instruments include electric guitars, bass, violin, cello, percussion, and sometimes tapes and audio samples. Their compositions, which can exceed 20 minutes, are structured as suites, divided into movements that explore different dynamics and sonic themes. The durations of their pieces bring them closer to both instrumental pieces for chamber ensembles, and to the cosmic rides of Hawkwind, and to the progressive suites and sonic storms of Glenn Branca, and express a certain kinesthetic taste very similar to Morricone's dark soundtracks, those connected to the soft-porn and violent police B-movies of the '60s and '70s.
The band's music is often described as cinematic, evocative and apocalyptic. Often accompanied by visual projections during concerts, their art expresses a strong sense of social and political urgency, dealing with themes such as the collapse of civilization, oppression, and hope for a better future.
In this sense, Godspeed You! Black Emperor have profoundly influenced the post-rock scene and beyond, thanks to their unique vision and dedication to art as a tool for political resistance. Their music has been used in films, documentaries and contexts that require a strong emotional impact, consolidating their role as sonic narrators of our time. In their music, you can notice the absence of real sung parts; when they appear, the voices are fleeting, incomprehensible, cold and dark, often recited and filtered through the hauntological instrument of a radio tuned to a dead channel. Ghost voices, whispers that pass through the walls.
And then the epic, which they manage to insert into every song. They usually start slowly, with the introduction of static taken from radios drugged by white noise and then explode into an energetic sound wave that is nothing short of electrifying, making them forgive some shortcomings in the harmonic construction of the tracks.
Also, don't forget the particular layout of their CDs. Look at the photos of their albums. Their booklets and the cardboard boxes themselves show a particular taste for a certain design that seems sloppy and casual, but which instead betrays a careful study and an intelligent reworking of blurred black and white images, texts typed on an old typewriter, brown or semi-transparent paper.
Everything is always very hauntological, but with a strong, very strong, progressive component. Maybe they were also in the first four albums, but the sound has, for some time, taken on this very strong connotation, which is supported by the layering of pure sound. Of the historical prog groups, perhaps they only show some chamber assonances with King Crimson. Genesis and Peter Gabriel are light years away. It is a stylistic trademark, but there is no trace of baroque suites adorned with kilometre-long solos, the improvisational component remains an important detail as well as the love for noise and distortion. They create dense electrical storms, layered clouds of sound reminiscent of Glenn Branca's symphonies that move within the songs, speeding them up, slowing them down, generating dynamics and pauses charged with static electricity waiting for a resolution that is often masterfully postponed.
Their latest albums are very similar to each other, yes, some have a darker component, others like the latest, seem to sparkle in comparison, almost exude a painful hope in response to the social and political climate of the contemporary world, but they all have the same starting matrix, the same musical yeast. I didn't expect anything new from this latest "G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END!" and so it was. The Black Emperor remains on his throne. Granitic. Aesthetic. Proud.
So why buy this latest album if I don't register any real sign of a stylistic evolution? What's the point of listening to a band that continues to replicate itself, providing only small signs of difference between one album and another? Because I love them. They won me over, they took my soul. The truth is that the Black Emperor has been able to create a sound spell so sophisticated, ductile, malleable and immersive that you can no longer do without it. I've been waiting for this album for a long time. The Black Emperor knows how to intelligently ration his releases with precision and perfect marketing sense. He takes care of his albums with obsessive attention to detail. He evokes a sound that is not irrelevant. I can't resist. I buy and listen regardless. I've even stopped telling myself that it will be the last time, because I already know that I will buy the next one too. Long live the Black Emperor! Long live GY!BE.