Stacks – Want

Stacks are the brothers Jan and Sis Matthé from Antwerp, who are all about embracing the past. Or, as the press release puts it, »trying to make sense of a world in flames.« It might sound a bit theatrical, but after the first few bars of »Want,« it’s clear that’s not an exaggeration. The dramatic choirs, the emotional vocals, and the dark purple minor of the songs leave little room for humour. However, don’t write Stacks off as just a bunch of whiny, self-pitying crybabies. Their music usually has a positive message, even if it’s not always delivered in a happy, upbeat way.

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And it’s worth mentioning that the brothers like to take their time. Take ‘I Want You’ as an example. It combines eighties synthpop with rhythmic guitar riffs and incredibly cheesy piano chords. It’s everywhere: the reverb that turns this album is a kind of hall of mirrors of darkness. »In Mazes« once again delivers epic moments where the heavily vocoder-distorted vocals break the silence between the synths. Stacks‘ musical influences are from the eighties. This is particularly evident on the catchy »Is It Ever«, whose chorus sounds like an homage to Depeche Mode, the Pet Shop Boys and others. The Antwerp duo also prove they can handle up-tempo on the album’s strongest track, »On The Heels«, where the anthemic and the melancholic are balanced. It is these balancing moments that make Stacks so fascinating.