At the end of May, Belgium’s dark electro act Aiboforcen unveiled their seventh full length album, Between Noise & Silence. I’ve been listening to it constantly since the album dropped, and it’s unexpectedly become one of my favorite albums of the year.
Between Noise & Silence is an incredible kaleidoscope of sounds and voices. Benoît Blanchart remains the project’s visionary, though he treats Aiboforcen a bit like a collective, inviting plenty of other artists to collaborate. On Between Noise & Silence, Regenerator’s Patrice Synthea returns as his primary contributor along with Norderney’s Jan Dieckmann.
The album is a solid listening experience from beginning to end with many remarkable moments. The three tracks below, which are among my favorite songs on the album, offer a strong sample of what you can expect.
You can find Between Noise & Silence on Bandcamp and Spotify.
Aiboforcen – “Everything”
“Everything” is a deeper cut from Between Noise & Silence, but it’s the album’s standout track. It really lives up to its title. There’s a bit of everything that makes the album such a joy. Like many of the other songs, it has a dynamic arrangement that refuses to follow traditional verse-chorus-verse structure. Multiple voices—male and female, even some spoken word bits—topple over its pouncing beat and shimmering electronics. Lines like “You broke my heart for the last time” and “You have the same eyes” depict a compelling story about family and heartbreak.
Aiboforcen feat. Jan Dieckmann and Noemi Aurora – “Cycle of Life”
Some of the tracks on Between Noise & Silence bare a slight resemblance to VNV Nation, though Aiboforcen retains more of the aggressive elements that VNV has long shed. The comparison is mostly confined to songs like “Cycle of Life” and “Executions” that feature vocals from Nordeney’s Jan Dieckmann, whose deep, resonant voice recalls Ronan Harris. Noemi Aurora of Helalyn Flowers joins Jan on “Cycle of Life” for a lovely dueling vocal display. The song initially appeared on a 2023 EP that I somehow overlooked, yet it’s one of the album’s best tracks.
Aiboforcen feat. Emke Arvai-Illes – “I’m Talking to You”
Black Nail Cabaret’s talented singer, Emke Arvai-Illes, is yet another contributor to Between Noise & Silence. Always a welcome voice, she brings her vocal acrobatics to “I’m Talking to You,” which cranks up the album’s energy with a ferocious beat and a monsoon of electronics. The track builds towards a monster hook, courtesy of Emke: “There’s no way I’m talking to you. There’s no way I’m talking to you.”
