Rats On Rafts
Rats On Rafts have been making waves in Rotterdam's vibrant music scene for years, but it’s their relentless commitment to pushing boundaries that has begun to earn them well-deserved recognition. With Sleepwalking, the band offers a haunting glimpse into the darker, more brooding sound of their forthcoming album Deep Below, slated for release on 7th February 2025. The track’s eerie synths, echo-laden vocals, and sparse instrumentation set the tone for an album that promises to be their most introspective and atmospheric work to date.
Rooted in Rotterdam’s iconic New Wave, Pop, and Punk scenes, Rats On Rafts have always embraced the weird and the wonderful. Their spiritual allegiance to these genres is no accident, but the band has never been afraid to explore new territories. Deep Below marks a deeper plunge into their psyche, with lyrics that question humanity’s relationship with nature, religion, and each other. Compared to their previous, more colorful albums, this record embraces a more minimalist approach, creating a sound that is haunting, introspective, and remarkably cohesive.
Echoes of The Cure, Cocteau Twins, and Slowdive might be heard in the album’s melancholic, atmospheric vibe, but the influences are vast and varied. From the 1980s’ analog sounds captured through their signature tape machines, to the eerie tones of the Eminent String Ensemble synth, Deep Below brings a fresh and authentic edge to their genre. It’s a sound born from the past, but not trapped by it.
Tracks like Japanese Medicine combine icy chiming guitars with galloping drums and lush synths, evoking memories of teenage friendships, life-changing records, and dark, introspective thoughts. Meanwhile, Nature Breaks pulses with propulsive energy, as frontman Fagan meditates on human impulse in the face of survival, confronting the complexities of the human experience. The sparse, slow-paced songs allow deeper ruminations on mortality, alienation, and the passage of time to creep through, giving the album a haunting, almost ghostly quality.
The band’s previous releases—The Moon Is Big (2011), Tape Hiss (2015), and Excerpts From Chapter 3 (2021)—have each pushed the band into new territory, always resisting the conventional path. With Deep Below, Rats On Rafts embrace a new chapter of their evolution, one that is deeply personal and reflective, while still daring to question everything around them. It’s their most cohesive and introspective work yet, reflecting a band that is still searching, still evolving, and still refusing to conform.
Sleepwalking is just the beginning. With their UK and European tour kicking off in February 2025, this is the perfect time to discover why Rats On Rafts are one of the most exciting and unique acts in their genres to emerge from the Netherlands in recent years. Don’t miss out—pre-save Deep Below now and give Sleepwalking a spin.