“If we burned our bodies, could we stay the same?“
It has been two years plus since Soulkeeper dropped their explosive debut, Holy Design. It is a record that has enamoured many of us here, taking a deserved top-five spot in our album of the year list for 2023—a racing sound akin to that of a rollercoaster as all the bright lights whizz by. While incorporating elements of 2000s electronica and maintaining a violent art sound, revisiting it two years later still brings that pulsating energy that first captured the listener’s attention on their debut record. An unexpected path came next for Soulkeeper, as they signed to Pure Noise Records, which has now led to their release of the EP, Join Us In Creating Excellence.
With the lead into the first single and title track, the chaotic nature is still there, and one that you could align with a genre of your choice. Soulkeeper still maintain that rare ability to not be confined to a particular genre, sound, or era. There is a slight shift in production evident from the outset, which leans into a slightly rougher and grating style. It feels most akin to “Three Parts Disdain” from Holy Design, yet the handling of the cleaner electronic section feels starkly different. There have been examples from colleagues comparing the break here to Drake and Owl City, and it does feel completely out of place in the record.
Their ability to write a breakdown and be ferociously heavy is showcased on the title track, as a slicing breakdown blended in with harsh electronic sounds closes out the track. This swiftly flows into “Just Ask Alice“, which continues the heaviness from Soulkeeper that many have come to enjoy. It’s where their sound becomes almost manic in nature, as it bursts at the seams from every angle. The vocals have that unhinged nature, and not in the way that many vocalists seem to caricature in the likes of Tallah. The neat way the guitars bounce between the blasting electronics here gives an edge to Soulkeeper that isn’t found elsewhere.
There is another blank stare moment delivered in Join Us In Creating Excellence in the form of “Reality Bytes“. As the rap-trap screamed vocals, with the relevant beats behind it, feel obtuse on a Soulkeeper record. While yes, there is another solid breakdown here, there is a sense that Soulkeeper are finding ways to weave between tracks in creative ways, yet are not yet quite hitting the mark with either attempt here or earlier.
Quite fittingly, the closer “Smile Because It Happened” does sound like it’s time to go home happy. Much like “Just Ask Alice“, Soulkeeper delve into their heavy and violent sound to deliver a sound that makes you want to rip a door off its hinges. It is perhaps here, though, that the production on Holy Design feels that much better to listen to. While here there is perhaps an attempt to make it sound more “digitized“, it just does feel slightly harsher to listen to.
With a debut as outstanding as Holy Design, there is a sense of expectation that follows. The sound that Soulkeeper have is still unique to them, which is more than noteworthy, and mastering that must be one hell of a challenge. Yet there is a sense of a few missteps here, primarily in the production and the more interlude moments of the record. Alongside that, Soulkeeper’s sound doesn’t work in an EP format. Moving from the frantic journey of Holy Design into a 10-minute EP has the sense of a ride cut short. What is present here doesn’t remove the belief that Soulkeeeper are a great band, and with time, they will release an outstanding record; we just have to wait a little longer for that.
7/10
Join Us In Creating Excellence has been released as of today, September 19th, and can be pre-ordered here.