Soulwax Defies Genre with ‘All Systems Are Lying,’ a Rock Album Built Without Guitars
Brussels, Belgium – Pioneering Belgian electronic-rock duo Soulwax, comprised of David and Stephen Dewaele, have released their latest album, All Systems Are Lying (DEEWEE/Because Music), a bold exploration of live instrumentation and electronic soundscapes deliberately constructed without the use of guitars. The album marks a significant evolution for the group, known for traversing the intersection of rock and electronic music since their 1996 debut, Leave the Story Untold.
For decades, Soulwax has navigated the often-blurred lines between genres, moving from grunge-inspired beginnings to the leftfield-techno of 2018’s Essential.All Systems Are Lying represents a focused attempt to capture “the feeling of a band playing electronic instruments-live, loud and loose,” according to the Dewaeles. The album utilizes modular synths, live drums, tape machines, and processed vocals to achieve this vision, challenging conventional notions of what constitutes a rock record.
The album opens with “Pills And people Are Gone,” a track described as a melancholic end-of-party lament reminiscent of Radiohead. Other standout tracks include the suspenseful “Polaris,” which evokes a collaboration between Philip Glass and Justice, and “The False economy,” a techno-rock piece with vocals delivered in a style akin to Trent Reznor, seemingly critiquing social media strategies. “Engineered Fantasy” offers a woozy, dreamlike atmosphere, comparable to Tobacco, but with more direct vocals.
A highlight of All Systems Are lying is ”Run Free,” built around midtempo beats, rubbery bass synths, and what is considered the album’s strongest vocal performance. The track balances a sense of yearning with an underlying tension, propelled by a 303 solo, expansive synths, and a driving breakbeat.
While the album largely eschews conventional rock instrumentation, “New Earth Time” comes closest to a conventional rock sound, featuring disaffected vocals over a beat-heavy arrangement with vibrant percussion and warped synth effects. The title track, “All Systems Are Lying,” draws comparisons to Visage with its nervy synth patterns and sharp percussion, ultimately building into a robust techno beat with metallic accents and chopped vocals, embodying the album’s thematic exploration of technology’s negative societal impacts.
