Brussels-based art-pop collective Woolvs released yesterday their new record, Large Ensemble, an ambitious and magnificent album. Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Willem Malfliet, Woolvs began its journey in 2016, originally as a solo project before evolving into a 5-piece with Casper Van De Velde on drums, Vitja Pauwels on guitar, Soet Kempeneer on keys and Ruben De Maesschalk on bass. With Large Ensemble, Woolvs brings together 23 musicians from Brussels’ diverse and vibrant music scene. The album is, holistically, a statement of creative ambition, with each musician bringing something distinct to the table. The sense of togetherness that Woolvs describes in their work is evident, and there is a palpable energy that stems from their collaborative approach.
Instantly evoking an incredible sense of awe and wonderment, Large Ensemble is an exploration of human emotions, from grief and anger to euphoria and compassion. Spanning a plethora of genres, the record is described as “album of 16 art-pop songs, served with hefty doses of free jazz, vocal harmonies, electronics, and psychedelia”. The album’s tracks are as diverse as the musicians who helped bring them to life.
Alongside the album release yesterday, Woolvs also previewed a pair of singles, ‘Late September Sun’ and ‘Sleepwalking’, which “highlight the album’s intimate and poetic side”, as Woolvs described, adding:
“Both songs drift by like clouds and, in their content, explore the passing of time, but do so in a completely different tone.
Late September Sun features the voice of an elderly person looking back peacefully—or, possibly, of a young person observing old age with wonder and melancholy. Fragmentary postcard imagery with the unique tranquility of a beach in the off-season, on a bed of whispering clarinets.
Sleepwalking features someone who no longer recognizes themself in their life. Perhaps a young adult, overworked, overstimulated, or existentially numb. The tone is sarcastic, playful, yet deeply weary. Over seven minutes, this song unfolds with increasing textural richness without resorting to obvious pathos. Parallel to the lyrics, the instruments also ultimately reach a point of total dissociation, before returning to a full, expansive final section, featuring a starring role for Hanne De Backer on bass clarinet.”
Large Ensemble is an album that deserves to be heard in its entirety, each track building on the last in unexpected and wonderful ways. We can’t stop listening to it over and over again! Take a listen to ‘Late September Sun’ and ‘Sleepwalking’ below and get a little taster of what’s on offer.
The Woolvs Large Ensemble comprises Adia Vanheerentals (soprano/tenor saxophone), Aiko Devriendt (bansuri, flute, voice), Aili Maruyama (voice), Arto Van Roey (voice), Elisabeth Klinck (violin, viola), Gaspard Sicx (drums, percussion), Hanne De Backer (bass clarinet), Jacob Hus (live electronics), Lander Gyselinck (drums), Laszlo Thiry (bassoon, contrabassoon), Maya Mertens (voice), Mirte Leconte (voice), Nina Kortekaas (synthesizer, voice), Olivier Penu (drums, percussion), Oriana Mangala (voice), Paulien Rondou (voice), Raphaël Desmarets (voice), Ruben De Maesschalck (bass guitar, percussion, voice), Samuel Ber (drums), Soet Kempeneer (double bass, synthesizer, voice), Thomas Jillings (clarinet/alto clarinet, c-melody/tenor saxophone, synthesizer), Vitja Pauwels (electric/acoustic guitars), and Willem Malfliet (voice, guitars, synth, songwriting)