Bart’s monthly list of freshly acquired goodies he thinks you should give a listen.
The second edition of my monthly list of lovely music I added to my collection (the first one you’ll find here). Old to new stuff. All available to all. Onda Sonora is probably so inclusive it finds exclusivity in that. So no (exclusive) promos, calculated hip plugs nor music we won’t recognise ourselves in a few weeks time because by then long forgotten. Nothing overly fancy like that. We like it simple, slightly scruffy and, at best, just for the sake of it. Like last week’s So You Think You Can Dance party in Antwerp’s Kavka. Which really felt like a home away from home (which you hope of all parties you play at and which we can say remarkably often lately). No grand gestures, no fronting, just people having a good time on music made for that cause but beyond the banal. This list is like that. Nothing but a list of music I recently discovered or bought and which I like (of course) and which is meant to inspire. Nothing more.
Tapes Meets The Drums Of Wareika Hill Sounds – Datura Mystic – Honest Jon’s
Loved Wareika Hill’s previous EP on the same label so much it’s always in my box fully knowing I only get to play it very rarely. The fact it’s a 10” doesn’t really help because it gets literally overlooked at times. This one will join it for the foreseeable future. Heavy percussion monster.
Ing. Coman – 6 Seara – Future Nuggets
From the “Sounds Of The Unheard From Romania (Volume 2)” compilation. The first was killer, this one is even more up my alley. Hard to pinpoint genre-wise and thus perfectly fitting Onda Sonora’s favourite genre. The entire album is superb from folksy jazz to dubby psychedelic workouts and back.
XTRO – Dikke Vette Pannekoeke (Normal Recipe) – Rave Records
First heard Belgian producer Stijn play this. It made me go through the gabber / Rotterdam hardcore crates for a while. Can gladly stop doing that now. A record that will surely make half our crowd go “uh?” when we drop it. Haha. Looking forward to that.
Arkanoid – No Problem – Hi Tech
New Beat not New Beat if such a thing exists. Made in the wrong country (Italy) and 1 year too late but one of the finest pieces of Belgium’s main contribution to electronic dance music history. Reissued on R&S the same year it came out so part of the classics of the genre. If I ever produce new beat it would sound like this.
Oko – Tema IV – Jugoton
Slovenian psychedelic rock turned jazzy and incredibly funky. Veals & Geeks’ Stan played this at our Record Store Day after party at Bonnefooi and it ended up in my box. Even at parties I play at I buy records. Hope it doesn’t announce my entry into that area of the musical spectrum as it would ruin me completely.
Sagat – Melt – Vlek
Standout track for me from his latest EP on this fine Brussels label. Gritty techno but different than most of what the Berlin brigade mass-produces nowadays. Lovely to see him steadily develop the talent we appreciated very early on in his career (bigging up myself here, I know) without being lured by the easier roads to recognition. Doing waywardly his own thing.
Fanfare De Quevaucamps – Ring My Bell – Vogue
A Belgian brass band doing a medley of disco hits and the middle part of it, the Anita Ward classic, is top. 1min30 of killer brass boogie. Haha. Picked this 7” up on our trip through Wallonia. Produced by Marc Moulin.
Chrome Brulée – Autopower – Kasset
Even though I was a fan from the first bits of this Belgian beatmakers / synthwizards super group I heard, the album surprised me in a very positive way. Less standard electroboogie as made by Dâm-Funk and followers but with firm hints of Vangelis and other prog rock with keys. Not only the videos and visuals are premium quality with these boys. Top release.
Partners – I Wanna Dance – Phil & Phil
I’m becoming obsessed with disco made in Belgium. This is the second EP I found by this outfit. Not the most original moniker, title nor track but solid none the less. With people on board I keep encountering on records I like. Worth further investigation.
Bernthöler – My Suitor – Starman
One of the most beautiful new wave pop songs ever made. One of the few tunes where I don’t mind the thick accent. Makes it even sexier. Starman records compiled the little output of this Belgian / Brussels based group and added demo’s with a lovely album as result.
Plus Instruments – Freundschaft – Poutre Apparente
Frenetic new / no wave from a group with a pre-Sonic Youth Lee Ronaldo centered around Truus de Groot who once played in what later became Dutch famous reggae / pop band Doe Maar. From a superb album full of driving and dark tunes.
Africa Hitech – Do U Wanna Fight – Warp
Not going to introduce this. Should have had a privileged spot in my collection but somehow I missed out completely on the vinyl. Luckily Arlequin had one in the crates. Playing these tunes digitally made me die inside a little every time they featured in our sets. Died many times. But not anymore.