Wholes – Berlin (2026)
When the intruding late-night thoughts merge with the protesting shower thoughts, overthinking, constantly wondering, and finding yourself unable to sleep because sleep isn’t possible, perhaps it’s not even necessary; this is the realm of Wholes. Hailing from Belgium, the group describes themselves as “what remains after a soul has been detonated, what struck those around it, what could no longer be contained…” So, given warning, what can we expect from Wholes? Chaos, aggression, a mind-altering sense of insomnia? Join us as we turn up their latest single ‘Berlin’ to find out.
Following the single ‘Eazy For You’, ‘Berlin’ is a self-produced few minutes of indie-rock with ambient new wave sensibilities. From the crashing drums to the banging bass, a shimmer of keyboards and a scorching guitar, listening to ‘Berlin’ is like being shoved into a kaleidoscopic hurricane of head-spinning music. It’s melodic as all songs should be, but there is a sense of palpable tension pulsating in the hard-hitting brush of sound.
It’s difficult to explain ‘Berlin’ and Wholes as a group – there is a suffocating grip as the dizzying, off-kilter sound smothers you; however, despite finding it difficult to breathe in the foggy soundscape, a sense of odd sincerity exists. The vocals are gritty, but simultaneously have a fragile vulnerability pushing a sense of freedom and liberation in the musical mire. Strange, but intriguing.
Sonically, ‘Berlin’ is the mind-altering trip after a shot of vodka and a kick of cocaine – not literally, of course, just the swarm of perfumed sound that they show in films whenever the person loses control. Interestingly, the swathe of melody perfectly captures the profound, weighty theme. Wholes explains that ‘Berlin’ “sits at collapse’s edge… on the border of falling down in a Swiss bank that has sold your life. Capitalist systems disconnect us while cultivating desire for more.”
After listening to ‘Berlin’ in its entirety, would I come back for more? Oddly enough, while it leaves you gasping for breath in the swoon of emotional music, it is something I’d listen to again. Not for the faint-hearted, but definitely recommended to all.
Find out more about Wholes on their Instagram, YouTube, Bandcamp and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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