There is no other Belgian band right now with such a distinctively unique sound as Amatorski. They first emerged with an EP in 2010, when the song “Come Home”––a dreamy folk-pop ballad inspired by the World War II love letters of frontwoman Inne’s grandmother––became an unexpected hit in Belgium. They then reinvented themselves with debut album TBC in 2011, expanding their sound with post-rock and trip-hop influences halfway between Portishead and Sigur Rós. Now, after three years of experimenting with a variety of projects––from film soundtracks to multimedia art projects––they released the sophomore album From Clay To Figures in April. It's their best work to date, with a sound so refined it escapes genre definition.
Though the duo hails from Belgium, much of the recent album was put together while traveling. "We were constantly recording little ideas and then sending them back and forth,” Sebastiaan, Amatorski’s multi-instrumentalist, told us in a recent interview. "Being away from home really helped me to find some peace and quiet,” added Inne, who during the process of recording decided to look for isolation in Denmark, Hamburg, and, eventually, New York. "New York was this incredibly inspiring city for me," she said. "A lot of the energy I found there ended up on our record.”
The delicacy and melancholy from previous Amatorski records remains, but the band also sounds more dynamic and confident than ever, with a prominent role for Inne’s vocals. While these are bedroom rather than dancefloor songs, the attention to detail brings to mind sound wizards like Thom Yorke or Damon Albarn. "It’s a much more positive record than the previous ones," said Inne, "and one changed our sound entirely.”
See Amatorski play their very first US show at Pianos, New York, on September 25
Amatorski. Photo by Gus & Stella