‘What is the meaning of laws, when our nations negotiate all?’ Coilguns ask in this track. “We grew up being told that our country was a safe nest forhuman rights conventions, a historical hub for humanitarian organizations, a neutral haven for diplomacy, a sheltering home for the needing ones and a centuries-long advocate for peace.Yet the older we get, the more frequently we see this image turn into a Dorian Gray portrait. We recently witnessed our federal representatives minimize dual-use goods exportations or support partial views on major international law violations.We discovered that our asylum system had silently turned into a racist and humiliating discouragement plan, and we still haven’t been able to make our international enterprises accountable for their colonialist crimes. Looking back at our school history manuals, we wonder where this whole fairy tale has gone, or if it ever existed, but we’d like to allow ourselves and invite you to keep believing in the idea that a peace-making Switzerland might be one day an actual thing.”
Peace Trader had to be both punchy and sad, something that could carry urgent empathy and hope. It’s also the first song they’re releasing where a bass player was part of the writing process from the very beginning, which had a big impact on how the arrangements came together and how the instruments interact. You can hear that in the overall balance, especially in the drums, where they mixed very different sounds, some of them recorded in an empty warehouse.
Swiss band Coilguns are releasing their new single Peace Trader on their own label Humus Records. This new track was recorded by Scott Evans (Thrice, La Dispute, Neurosis) and mixed by Grammy-nominated Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Pixies, Royal Blood). The recording took place at their own headquarters, an old warehouse full of vintage equipment in the centre of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The band also collaborated with Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe, The Armed) for additional overdubs and production. Listen to ‘Peace Trader’ here.