Curiosity is a real b*stard. This sentiment not only sparks a decent bar stool debate, but it also serves as the opening line on ‘How Do We Want to Live?’, the new and seventh studio album from German Post-rock brilliance, Long Distance Calling. A thoughtful and thematic effort that tries to explore the coexistence between humans and machines through a predominantly instrumental experience with the occasional monologue that always overstays its welcome. But if the subject matter caters primarily to fans with an affinity for sci-fi, musically ‘How Do We Want to Live?’ will appeal to a far wider audience. Whether you are a traditionalist with a penchant for big guitars, enticing rhythms, and innovative structures, or maybe a progressive soul that gets their kicks from something a little bolder and more ambitious, this record is for you. At least when it is not being laced with a forced, cringy narrative hinged on artificial intelligence.
To refer to the musicianship on this record as effortless would be to potentially imply a lack of investment. Yet there is nothing about the writing or playing on ‘How Do We Want to Live?’ that would suggest any lack of technical or emotional investment. Through their common instrument, guitarists David Jordan and Florian Funtmann do an exceptional job at creating a non-verbal subtext brimming with emotion on tracks like “Hazard” and “Voices”. Similarly, the album’s first full piece, “Curiosity (Part 2)” achieves fizzing energy and vibrant atmosphere through the rhythmic syncopation of drummer Janosch Rathmer and bassist Jan Hoffman.
The rare moments Long Distance Calling introduce vocals leave you craving for more. Sung by Eric A. Pulverich of the band Kyles Tolone, “Beyond Your Limits” is a standout track on ‘How Do You Want to Live?’. Not solely down to a strong performance by Pulverich, but also by the ‘seldom seen is wonderful’ use of his talents, giving the listener just enough. And we cannot talk about standout tracks on this record with acknowledging, “Fail / Opportunity”. A delicate composition with a bowed instrument at the heart of it, “Fail / Opportunity” feels as if it takes the essence of delicacy itself and uses it as a textural detail on this moving piece. And thankfully, there is not a trace of narrative anywhere near it.
Long Distance Calling may have been aiming to create an artistic manifesto about the state of digital progress and some of the concerns it raises. But when monologues from the perspective of humans or machines are present, it momentarily renders the song impotent. And, not unlike A.I., spiritually vacant, trading artistic intelligence for artificial intelligence. Part of the beauty of instrumental music is that it concerns itself with feel. When those same moments are littered with what feel like badly delivered excerpts from Yuval Noah Harari’s “Homo Deus, A Brief History of Tomorrow”, it loses that all-important feel. ‘How Do We Want to Live?’ is a Post-Rock classic in the moments that it instrumentally conveys the weight of the unexpressed, and a tragic let down during its contrived monologues and preachy narrative. Fortunately, the former far outweighs the latter in both quality and frequency, adding yet another great Long Distance Calling album to their discography. Show me, don’t tell me. When Long Distance Calling shows, it’s almost divine.