Belgian post-punk outfit Whispering Sons present their long-awaited debut album 'Image'. This is the first major release for this Brussels-based outfit since their 'Endless Party' EP in 2015. The songs on 'Image' were written after the band collectively moved to Brussels in 2016. Between intense touring, they channeled their new ideas into the music found on this album.
Tomatrax caught up with Fenne Kuppens, the band's lead singer, to ask a few questions.
How did the band form?It all started in 2013 when the four guys of the band, who all knew each other from high school or university, wanted to make some music. After a while, I (the singer) joined. During the first years we barely wrote songs or played live. We started taking things more seriously somewhere mid 2015.
Where did the name Whispering Sons come from?Our name comes from a pretty unknown Danish band named Moral. They had a song called 'Whispering Sons', which we covered during the early days of the band. When we started playing it, everything fell into place and we decided to name ourselves after it.
You've just put out your debut album, how does it feel to have it out?We've worked very hard the last year, so we're very glad that it's finally out there. The responses have been great thus far, but things are only just getting started!
Where did the title Image come from?Some recurring themes on the record are viewing things from a distance and not feeling part of it. 'Image' is like a motionless state, in which observations overshadow actions. Image is a very mundane word, yet perfectly describes the album.
What was the inspiration behind the album's cover?The artwork is a photograph by Belgian artist Flor Maesen. I discovered him through a cover he made for another band. His work is very strange, dark and carnal, which is very fitting for our music. He sent us some of his work, and this photograph really stood out. We almost immediately decided that this had to be the cover of our record. It feels like observing a sort of strange spectacle which you're not part of and visually strengthens the themes of the record.
You said that the tracks on Image unveil feelings of alienation and distance, do you feel alienated since moving to Brussels?Brussels has indeed been a big influence on the themes of the lyrics and the record as a whole. It's a chaotic city in which it is difficult to feel at home, at least for me. The feeling of alienation definitely stems from that.
Given you're from Belgium why do you sing in English?Because we don't want to be limited to Dutch speaking crowds.
You're currently touring around Europe, how has that been going?It's great. We're visiting new places and going back to old ones; but this time we actually have an album to promote, which gives this tour a bit more purpose.
What is the music scene in Brussels like?We're not really part of any Brussels scene. The Belgian scene in general, however, is very interesting. Belgium is small, but very rich music-wise. There are lot of different bands, playing a lot of different genres. People have overlapping projects and sometimes it even feels like everything is connected, which is very nice
Do you ever listen to your own music?You obviously have to in the process of making an album, even though it's difficult to listen objectively. I don't listen to our older work, but I did listen to 'Image' on vinyl a couple of times after it officially came out. I'm very proud of the result.
What other music do you listen to?`Oh, we listen to a lot. We all love discovering new music and new bands. And that's not only limited to the genre we play.
What do you have planned after your current tour?More touring. Our main focus now is to keep playing to promote the record. We'll see what happens after that!
Check out Whispering Sons' website to find out more!l
