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Seven long years have passed since Barcelona beauties Belgrado last bestowed a full length upon the citizens of Planet Earth, but the wait is over, and ‘Intra Apogeum’ is here to make your life worth living again.
With a new bassist in tow, a couple of fresh-out-the-box synths, and drummer Jonathan Sirit switching from kit-bashing to button-pushing, you might be forgiven for thinking your favourite post-punkers have gone cuckoo and lost it. But fear not – more than a decade in the game and Belgrado still know What They Are Doing. Eight sleek-n-chic numbers that simultaneously burn white hot and ice cold. As with their previous record ‘Obraz’, Belgrado have taken the Xmal Banshees template and bled out in all directions, stylishly blending a classic post-punk intuition with elements of disco, dub and psychedelia, now with added textures of electronic lushness.
Recorded in both Barcelona and singer Patrcyja Proniewska’s native Warsaw, ‘Intra Apogeum’ is testament to a band committed to pushing forward and investigating the new whilst clearly demonstrating they know who they are. Belgrado is back – viva Belgrado!
Our take: The seven years since Belgrado’s last LP have seen some significant changes for the Barcelona group. Most importantly, their rhythm section has gotten a complete overhaul with drummer Jonathan Sirit abandoning acoustic drums in favor of electronic rhythm programming and Louis from Fatamorgana joining the band on bass (meaning now Belgrado’s lineup now includes both members of Fatamorgana). These changes are a big deal because the rhythm section has always been a key part of Belgrado’s sound, with bass and drums laying a firm foundation over which the guitars, synths, and vocals float more ethereally. That’s still the approach on Intra Apogeum, but it’s like the rhythm section sees their job in the same way but executes that job differently. It’s a best-case scenario, giving the group an infusion of freshness without undermining one of their key strengths. And Louis’s bass lines sound fantastic… I almost wonder if he’s flexing a bit, as some of the bass lines here are ridiculously complex (see “Tęsknota,” to cite but one example). Meanwhile, in the upper registers, Belgrado also pushes forward, with an even wider pallet of guitar and synth sounds and Patrcyja’s icy yet melodic vocals tying it all together. While their rhythms still have a powerful thump, I love that they also draw from genres like dub and psych, creating interwoven layers of sound with a variety of captivating textures. Intra Apogeum is an album that pulls you into its world, and I think it’s the best Belgrado album yet.
With a new bassist in tow, a couple of fresh-out-the-box synths, and drummer Jonathan Sirit switching from kit-bashing to button-pushing, you might be forgiven for thinking your favourite post-punkers have gone cuckoo and lost it. But fear not – more than a decade in the game and Belgrado still know What They Are Doing. Eight sleek-n-chic numbers that simultaneously burn white hot and ice cold. As with their previous record ‘Obraz’, Belgrado have taken the Xmal Banshees template and bled out in all directions, stylishly blending a classic post-punk intuition with elements of disco, dub and psychedelia, now with added textures of electronic lushness.
Recorded in both Barcelona and singer Patrcyja Proniewska’s native Warsaw, ‘Intra Apogeum’ is testament to a band committed to pushing forward and investigating the new whilst clearly demonstrating they know who they are. Belgrado is back – viva Belgrado!
Our take: The seven years since Belgrado’s last LP have seen some significant changes for the Barcelona group. Most importantly, their rhythm section has gotten a complete overhaul with drummer Jonathan Sirit abandoning acoustic drums in favor of electronic rhythm programming and Louis from Fatamorgana joining the band on bass (meaning now Belgrado’s lineup now includes both members of Fatamorgana). These changes are a big deal because the rhythm section has always been a key part of Belgrado’s sound, with bass and drums laying a firm foundation over which the guitars, synths, and vocals float more ethereally. That’s still the approach on Intra Apogeum, but it’s like the rhythm section sees their job in the same way but executes that job differently. It’s a best-case scenario, giving the group an infusion of freshness without undermining one of their key strengths. And Louis’s bass lines sound fantastic… I almost wonder if he’s flexing a bit, as some of the bass lines here are ridiculously complex (see “Tęsknota,” to cite but one example). Meanwhile, in the upper registers, Belgrado also pushes forward, with an even wider pallet of guitar and synth sounds and Patrcyja’s icy yet melodic vocals tying it all together. While their rhythms still have a powerful thump, I love that they also draw from genres like dub and psych, creating interwoven layers of sound with a variety of captivating textures. Intra Apogeum is an album that pulls you into its world, and I think it’s the best Belgrado album yet.