Soulwax - All Systems Are Lying

Though ‘All Systems Are Lying’ is technically Soulwax’s first album proper in seven years, the outfit’s shimmering, multifarious intermediary pursuits are by no means insignificant. From their star-studded remixing and production work to the kaleidoscopic audiovisual spectacle of their after-hours alter ego(s) 2manydjs and Despacio, it’s safe to say that the duo - formed of Belgian brothers Stephen and David Dewaele - haven’t been sat twiddling their thumbs in that time. With this album arriving just past the apex of the indie sleaze revival too, Soulwax find themselves directly in the impact zone of a burgeoning intrigue from those too young to remember them first time around - Charli xcx even reviewed their 2008 documentary on her Letterboxd, leading a slew of skinny-jeaned 20-somethings into their groove-laden world of quirky synth hardware.


Loosely themed around the increasing societal scepticism that permeates contemporary informational encounters - especially topical given the rapid advancement of hyper-realistic AI imitations - ‘All Systems Are Lying’ is an eclectic foray into a more anthemic synth pop and electro sound that feels like a real-time manifestation of Soulwax’s curiosities. Bookended by the cinematic piano-centric staccatos of opener ‘Pills and People Gone’ and the contrastingly rosy, ambient serenade of closer ‘Distant Symphony’, the brain-searingly catchy hooks and rhythms of singles ‘Run Free’ and ‘Gimme A Reason’ ricochet seamlessly beside the straight electro-rock of ‘False Economy’ and ‘Hot Like Sahara’. Cut with the wonky, off-kilter darkness of standout tracks such as ‘Polaris’ and siren-like synth whirrs of the title track too, the new record slots neatly into the expansive Dewaele puzzle; a vibrantly textured, shapeshifting, and inquisitively diverse return.