Some songs make you stand still and listen. Others make you move even when the feeling behind them is heavy. “inspirational”, from Utrecht-based bloc bloc bloc’s latest EP of the same name, sits right in that space: The kind of song that feels like dancing through the pain, built on a tight blend of new wave shimmer and post-punk urgency. From the first seconds, it pulls you into a dark but strangely energizing atmosphere, where groove and melancholy coexist in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh.
The rhythm section is what grabs you first. The bass line is thick, melodic, and constantly moving, carrying that unmistakable post-punk groove that makes your head nod almost automatically. Underneath it, the drums lock into a steady, driving beat that feels mechanical but alive at the same time. It’s the kind of rhythm that keeps pushing forward, never rushing, just pulsing with quiet determination.
Layered over that foundation are bright, bouncing new wave synths that add color without softening the song’s darker mood. They swirl in and out of the mix, sometimes sparkling with catchy melodic lines, sometimes stretching into hazy textures that give the track a sense of depth. Those layers create an airy atmosphere that glows, like neon lights cutting through fog, giving the whole song a slightly futuristic edge.
The vocals sit somewhere between detached and emotionally charged. There’s a clear nod to that classic Joy Division-style delivery, with its low register and shadowy tone, but it never feels like imitation. Instead, the voice carries its own character, slightly distant but expressive enough to pull you into the mood of the track. It sounds like someone processing something heavy while still trying to keep moving, which fits perfectly with the song’s overall energy.
What really makes the track stick with you is the contrast between darkness and momentum. The gothic atmosphere, the brooding vocals, and the shadowy textures could easily drag the song into pure gloom, but the groove refuses to let that happen. The bass keeps bouncing, the synths keep glowing, and suddenly you realize the song isn’t about sinking into sadness, it’s about surviving it.
That balance is what makes the experience so satisfying. It feels nostalgic in the way great post-punk and new wave songs often do, but there’s enough personality and sonic detail here to keep it from feeling like a throwback. Instead, it lands somewhere between past and future: dark, danceable, and strangely uplifting.
In the end, it’s those kinds of tracks that leave you with a very specific feeling: the urge to put it on again, maybe late at night, maybe with the lights low, and just let the groove carry you for a few more minutes. Not to escape the weight of things, but to move with it.
Listen to “inspirational” and follow bloc bloc bloc on their socials below.
Written by Joshua Cotrim
