"Everybody knows it's gonna happen only not tonight / the city is sleeping but I'm awake," begins the subtly intricate album by electronica band The Go Find, released by Belgian record company Morr Music on Feb. 5.
The Go Find is fronted by Dieter Sermeus of Orange Black, an indie-pop band that has opened for bands like Pavement while touring in Belgium. Sermeus teamed up with friend Arne Van Petegem of Styrofoam, and together, The Go Find released Miami in 2004.
Van Petegem was also a part of Morr Music, which represents such artists as Seabear and Surf City, who will be playing at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas in March. Since then, The Go Find has released the EP Over the Edge vs. What I Want in 2004 and Stars On the Wall in 2007.
In addition to Van Petegem, Tim Coenen, Nico Jacobs and Joris Caluwaerts also joined. The band's increase in size, as well as recording skills, resulted in making Everybody Knows It's Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight, a cleaner, more organized album than their former releases.
Like most of the artists on Morr Music, The Go Find is characterized by the layering of guitars and voice, much of their music being created by effects. The bands they are associated with are often in the dream-pop, electronic or intelligent dance music genres, but The Go Find are also more lo-fidelity and closer to what some called Shoegazer rock in the '90s - a huge influence for Sermeus. European rockers who blend hard-to-follow vocals over high elements of warped guitars usually define "Shoegazing"; the title comes from the observation of the introspectiveness that follows.
Sermeus commands lyrics with a voice similar to Chris Martin of Coldplay, only synthesized over in a manner similar to The Postal Service. The general tone of Everybody Knows is a testament to Sermeus' influence, especially from European bands such as Radiohead, Phoenix and the American Jim O'Rourke.
Sermeus blends electronic throwbacks with contemporary recording, a feat that is growing increasingly more intricate. The result is an institution-less, free album that coexists with more genres than most artists growing in popularity in Europe can hope to achieve. Though not necessarily groundbreaking, Everybody Knows brings a trending field of music into a more popular line.