Alone, you climb the mountain
Pull the vivid from the grey
Dutch post-punk outfit Silent Runners debut video for “Nothing Stays The Same”, the first single from their forthcoming new album, which was announced earlier this year with the teaser track “My Truth”.
The song’s brooding bassline, ardent drums, and shimmering synths lead into heartfelt and resonating vocals that soar with wistful refrain, capturing a timeless romanticism that straddles the sound of the 80s and the post-punk revival of the early 2000s,
“Nothing Stays the Same” tells the all too familiar tale about the kind of people who find themselves lost in modern society. It’s a story of those whose experience of life gets harder by the day, with no one they can turn to for answers. In that sense, the song expresses the feeling of being lost, and not belonging in an increasingly individualized world, where human beings are paradoxically more connected than ever, yet could not be further apart. While the message of the song is clearly one of grief and loss, the music is wrapped in a nostalgic embrace, with its catharsis leaving a euphoric impression of hope.
The video for the song is stark and effective with its simplicity, showcasing both literal and metaphorical visual representations of introspection as frontman Dolf Smolenaers pantomimes over a flickering projection of himself.
Watch the video for “Nothing Stays the Same” below:
Mixing dark synths with post-punk influences, Silent Runners (Amsterdam, NL) have made a name for themselves on stage with their captivating live shows.
In 2017 Silent Runners released their critically acclaimed debut album The Directory, which reached underground audiences all around the globe. The release was followed by a series of very well-received shows on festivals such as Wave Gotik Treffen, Grey Days, and Wavefest. Shows that cemented the band’s spirited live reputation in the underground post-punk scene.
After their 2019 re-release of The Directory (Remixes) on Cold Transmission Music, the band announced the production of a new yet-to-be-named album, set to release on the German label in spring of 2022. The first official single “Nothing Stays The Same” showcases a shift in direction for Silent Runners, foreshadowing more drum-driven songs and a heavier emphasis on post-punk influences, without compromising the mesmerizing sound the band is known for.
The band’s new single, “Nothing Stays the Same”, was mixed by Ben Greenberg (Black Marble, Second Still, Soft Kill, et al.) and mastered by Pete Maher (U2, The Killers, Maximo Park, et al.).
“Nothing Stays the Same” is out now via most streaming services. Listen here
Meanwhile, Silent Runners’ new album is set to be released in the spring of 2022 on Cold Transmission Music.
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