That was that one, 2025
So what was 2025 all about, besides everybody shouting from the sidelines about something, somewhere, somehow?
For the label we managed to release three cassettes: Hellvete, Eric Craven and Surface Of The Earth.
Each one of them demands a certain effort from the listener. Letting the sounds really drip in is essential.
And yes, we see cassettes as real albums. It’s not about choosing an alternative format, it’s often about finances or vinyl turnover times making the decision for you.
And time, my friends, is valuable as gold dust scratching your back.
We really felt that while setting up the (ad)venture of the Surface Of The Earth / Rosy Parlane tour.
Extremely proud to have been able to do this as fans. And endlessly grateful to the people who were just as enthusiastic as we were: setting up shows, giving us food, a clean bed, managing the tour (that’s a craft in itself, don’t underestimate it), etc.
No need to list everybody: you all know who you are and what it meant for that weird NZ/Belgium combo. Hats off to all of you. Cheers!
Another time-consuming thing: preparing the 4th Knotwilg Festival – May 9.
Our hosts will be 4AD Club, Diksmuide, who were open-minded enough to listen to us and give us this opportunity. And damn, the bill is so good I’d buy all the tickets myself, but then you wouldn’t get the chance to see this much quality in such a short time.
Four more names to be announced:
– 2 in this month’s Kneautwilg broadcast
– 2 final names in February
So far confirmed: pFeM, Split Apex, Eternal Music Society.
2026 will bring you at least two Knotwilg LPs.
The Eternal Music Society LP will be up for pre-order in early January. Another artist will be announced in February for release on our festival.
Lists. Lists! (from memory)
Best shows of 2025 (no particular order)
Milkweed – Hospital Chapel, Bruges
Contrary to others I really love their new direction. By far the most balanced live set of the year. Didn’t even sneak out for a smoke.
Hellvete – AB Club, Brussels
Using the in-house soundsystem to the maximum, droning into that exact point where you go: yes!!!
Kroppskännedom – Ghent
Stunningly good, even better than the LP. Grittier, more rhythmic, closer to his cassette. Perfect timing after a streak of terrible shows we witnessed around that time of year.
Rosy Parlane – Geneva
So glad he took his guitar on tour. That slow build-up to a Pita-esque climax was a daily highlight, starting in Switzerland.
Troth – De Nor, Antwerp
So much more mature than a few years ago without losing edge. Self-confident, balanced, electronics meeting introspective pop.
De Vlaamse Primitieven – Amok, Aalst
You simply can’t hate this band. Good vibes, humour, evolving fast. Playing dozens of shows clearly gives them total control over their instruments.
Surface Of The Earth – Prague
The whole tour slowly tightening, accumulating fatigue and self-confidence. Everything exploded here, with the only encore of the tour.
Also: the only drone band doing shorter tracks that actually form an album. Similar bands would do full album with only one of these tracks. Dropping them off at the airport at dawn felt like children leaving home.
Remarkable
• So many mediocre live shows from bands I already forgot. Even worse: horrible shows from bands I actually admire and saw play absolute classics before. Their records still stand though so i’m leaving it up to you to have a guess.
• Yes, mediocre again. A lot of funded records that could really use some curating or editing. Not every fart deserves a release. If a record is called “interesting”, it usually means you play it once and forget it. Not enough for me.
• Postage keeps being hell, pushing everyone, including myself, more towards digital to make it affordable. This only underlines how important shows + merch still are. Not only regarding making it available at a decent price but also towards distribution.
* Chatgtp is the VW Golf GTI of 2025
Records / Tapes 2025 (alphabetical)
Abu Ama – Sinner World (BC digital)
Jumps all over the place in style, creating a completely different world.
Bacht’n De Vulle Moane – Klaagrituelen LP (Pankraker)
I rarely buy metal because I can’t read those fonts, but when the label guy said “between Klaus Schulze and death metal” I was sold.
CD3 – Rules For Living LP (Aguirre)
Cut-up pop miniatures and experimental sound structures, courtesy of o.a. Nein Rodere.
Stefan Christensen – The Furious Earth cassette (C/Site)
Missed his guitar sound for far too long.
Cloud Management – Invisible Salad cassette (Abstrakce)
Dub, ambient, tribal – fckng brilliant.
Club Sound Witches – 2bad ass 2b techno cassette (Burgan Triangle Tapes)
Vintage CSW cut-up ambient-techno, 11RPM style.
De Vlaamse Primitieven – Lucht Van Een Andere Planeet LP (Carbon)
Folk for the 22nd century.
Eternal Music Society – Eternal Return 7″
Full-blast noiserock blowing the dust off field recordings worldwide.
K-Group – Live At Studio Neau (BC digital)
As pure as guitar drones can get.
Kroppskännedom – idem LP (Morc)
Intriguing. Ticks every box after the debut cassette.
Milkweed – Remscela cassette (Milkweed Paperbacks)
Puzzling art-folk-rock. Get this before the big stages hit.
Onrust – Arbores Nexus 2xLP (Silken Tofu)
The hardest-working woman in Belgium? Possibly her opus magnum.
Hugo Randulv – Drunkna / Ljus LP (Discreet)
Listened three times in a row and still can’t explain why I love it so much.
Split Apex – s/t cassette + Thoughts in 3D LP (Ever/Never)
Cassette: instant yes. LP: the most challenging and rewarding record of 2025.
Strange Girls – Ahoy 10″+CDR (Grey Ciphers)
Came out a bit late in December but over the moon with this. Gritty, melodic, noisy. They can do no wrong.
Juho Toivonen – Punaista Ja Keitasta Ja Kaikki… (BC digital)
Melancholy you can’t fake. Makes me humble, quiet and immobile.
2026?
a Happy one everybody. Looking forward to seeing you all, without exceptions, where you need to be. And that’s not on Pukkelpop or Rock Bommerskonten ffs.
On a non-musical note mark this date as well. WC Football: June 27: Belgium vs New Zealand
