Go March

Go March are an instrumental group based in Antwerp, Belgium, consisting of Philipp Weies (guitars), Hans de Prins (synthesizers), and Antoni Foscez (drums) (members of Intergalactic Lovers). The project, born out of jam sessions, is now realized in the band's self-titled debut album, an electronic, Germanic-infused, post-rock screamer that's a sort of Mogwai-meets-Kraftwerk synthesis yet with all the futuristic propulsions of a fresh, hungry band making music not just for 2015 but for beyond. That said, while the group have landed on this irresistible blend of electronics, rock, and more ambient passages, on Go March the initial conceptions varied somewhat. My initial ideas for a possible sound were actually based around bands like Boris or Lightning Bolt, but the moments when we just improvised were simply far more interesting, says Weies. When I first showed our demos to a friend of mine he said it reminded him of something between Trans Am and Maserati. My reply was: 'Wow, we need to check them out!' While the group state that it's quite difficult to pinpoint where inspiration actually comes from, Weies does concede that one particular inspiration holds especially strong for him. I am vastly inspired by the movies of David Lynch, especially Lost Highway and even more specifically the sequence where a car is driving through the dark and all you see are the median strips passing by. The image has this distinct tunnel vision-feel to it that I am often looking for when making music. ... I can totally dig a perfect 3:22 pop song, but I always had a weakness for seemingly endless repetition, mainly because it can put you in that state of trance. At a certain point you just get sucked in there and lose yourself completely. Repetition, groove, and minimalism are words that might spring to mind when describing Go March, but that's not to say the album is single-minded. While the impact of Germanic proto-techno bands is a clear influence on the group, the freedom of contemporary electronic music, math rock, and modern classical are all audible in the grooves of the album. From debut single Rise (UNDAY 040-1EP, UNDAY 040-2EP (2015)), which stretches a post-rock groove over the five minute mark, to Slow Horse and The White Lodge, which are smothered in glacial keys, synthesized throbs, and shuffling poly-rhythms, Go March is an album that defies expectations and challenges the listener in equal measures.