Keeping the ball rolling fresh off a string of hot singles in 2020, alternative art rock outfit Cosmopolis is cementing their place in the moody and atmospheric genre stylings in “The Distances.” Cosmopolis is an independent band dipping their toes in post-punk and ‘80s revival, clinging to the sounds of spatial guitars and melancholy vocals. From tasting their first two singles, “God Hotel” and “Sécheresse,” Cosmopolis definitely rub shoulders with their influences, Radiohead, David Bowie, and a bit of Interpol.
The band consists of singer and multi-instrumentalist Gavin Kendall, guitarist and bassist Nicolas Payelle, percussionist David Hussey, and guest vocalist Liz Haak. As many projects that sprouted as a result of the pandemic, Cosmopolis is a musical project bringing together musicians virtually from all over the world from Belgium, the UK, and Australia.
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“The Distances” is a six-minute dark and dystopian tune with a slow-paced, sludgy instrumental compacted with a flanging bass, reverb-drenched guitar, and a tambourine keeping the beat steady. The first half of the song sounds like an eerie version of an old western movie score when the two outlaws of the town have come to the conclusion that the town is, in fact, not big enough for the two of them.
The vocals are somber and gloomy, painting the picture of a dark future bearing grey skies with lyrics, “Beneath the clouds the world is burning.” The way that one might interpret the lyrical theme may derive from an environmentalist standpoint — envisioning a world that is no longer recognizable by its nature imagery, but is reminiscent of an apocalyptic landscape.
As the track picks up and the drums come in towards the back half of the song, a female vocalist leads with inserts her imprint on the song as she bounces back and forth exchanging the lines, “You’re not wanted here,” “You’re not welcome here,” and “Get out of here.” Perhaps, these lines could be told from the perspective of Mother Nature pleading to humans to leave her planet alone and stop destroying it. Of course, that is just one way that this track can be analyzed.
Overall, “The Distances” is an absolutely brutal and crushing song, in the best of ways. Cosmopolis truly let their talents shine with this latest single, embracing the sounds of modern post-punk combined with a twinge of atmospheric blues. With a solid run of singles already under their belt, it will be fascinating to see the distance Cosmopolis takes their sound into 2021.
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You can listen to Cosmopolis “The Distances” on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music. To keep up to date on all things Cosmopolis, check out their website.
