Belgium Booms 2016

ALICE ON THE ROOF 21:25-22:10 | Thursday, January 14, 2016 Vrijdag Alice On The Roof is a 20-year-old Belgian artist. She shot to fame in her own country with “Easy Come, Easy Go” and its infectious melancholic sensuality. The record was top of the charts for 8 weeks and became the most-played title in 2015. Now, after releasing an EP of her ethereal pop in the spring, Alice is preparing to bring out her first album.

CONTACT Alexandre Pinchart — alex@stlive.be aliceontheroof.com facebook.com/aliceontheroof

BRIQUEVILLE

CHANTAL ACDA

01:15-02:00 | Friday, January 15, 2016

22:10-22:50 | Friday, January 15, 2016

16:10 | Friday, January 15, 2016

Mutua Fides

Preadinius Gymasium

Instore Show Plato Recordstore

In 2001 a union of masked men gathered along the banks of the river Scheldt to revive an old underground movement, called Het Verbond der Vrije Steenbakkers. A movement dedicated to telling the tragic stories of a miserable past. Time has come to bring these chronicles out of the shadows and give the people involved their much deserved absolution. Characterized by the uniformity of their garbs, which creates evenness and prevents cult of personality.

Chantal Acda has been a well-kept secret, hiding out in various formations like Isbells, Sleepingdog and Distance, Light & Sky. It wasn’t until the 2013 release of her first album Let Your Hands Be My Guide and backed by musical soulmates Nils Frahm, Peter Broderick and Shahzad Ismaily, that she fully blossomed in her own right, «vulnerable and soft as fresh snow» (Mojo). Armed with an even better sophomore album The Sparkle In Our Flaws, Chantal Acda has set out for European touring throughout 2016 with a brandnew live band. Expect to get stirred, hypnotised and deeply moved.

“ (Briqueville’s) self-titled debut album is a hypnotic, doomy and occultish journey into realms of heaviness unknown to most of us mere mortals.”

— Walter Hoeijmakers, Roadburn Festival

CONTACT

Pieterjan Symons — pieterjan.symons@gmail.com briqueville.com facebook.com/briqueville

“An album of warm textures and mystic atmospheres.”

— Mojo (UK)

CONTACT

Inge De Bruyn — inge@gentlemanagement.com chantalacda.com facebook.com/chantalacdamusic

DOUGLAS FIRS

ERIKSSON DELCROIX

23:35-00:30 | Friday, January 15, 2016

21:00-21:45 | Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Grand Theatre (Up)

Grand Theatre (Up)

Douglas Firs is an Americana-inspired indie band formed by Gertjan Van Hellemont, based in Ghent, Belgium. Much more than a great songwriter with a mind-blowing voice, GJVH is also a clever troubadour with great love for authentic seventies guitars and the remarkable talent to flavour his songs with the right spices to distinguish them from the herd of songwriters.

After the immense succes of The Broken Circle Breakdown movie and the accompanying soundtrack (which Bjorn Eriksson wrote), it was time to return to his spouse Nathalie Delcroix and their beloved project, Erikkson Delcroix. A collaboration that brought a beautiful fusion of their musical interests, Americana, country and folk and which resulted in the debut album For Ever, one of the best Belgian albums of 2014.

“I like this instantly”

— Noel Gallagher on Studio Brussel, Belgian radio

CONTACT

Katrien De Jonghe — katrien@gentlemanagement.be Eric Didden — Eric@gentlemanagement.be douglasfirs.be facebook.com/douglasfirs

“A dark male voice matching the calibre of Howe Gelb with an angel on his lap. Most beautiful Flemish country album of all time.” — Oor (NL)

CONTACT

Dirk Deckers — dirk@maandacht.be erikssondelcroix.be facebook.com/ErikssonDelcroix

FÙGÙ MANGO

GO MARCH

23:00 | Thursday, January 14, 2016

21:30-22:15 | Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Minerva Art Academy

De Beurs

Due to their shared love for groove, African rhythms and Indie pop, the frenetic group FùGù MANGO came into being in 2013. Similar to Talking Heads, Yeasayer, tUnE-yArDs and Jungle, this art-pop collective mixes guitars and Afro-beat with intensive percussions.

A recipe which allowed them to surpass themselves on stage at several renowned festivals like Les Nuits Botanique, Dour Festival, Europavox & Les Ardentes.

Go March is an instrumental group based in Antwerp, Belgium and consists of Philipp Weies (guitars), Hans De Prins (synths) and Antoni Foscez (drums). It is a new project born out of jam sessions that have resulted in their debut album Go March, an electronic, Germanic- infused, post-rock screamer that is a sort of Mogwai meets Kraftwerk synthesis yet with all the futuristic propulsions of a new, fresh and hungry band making music not just for 2015 but for beyond.

“How to resist that exotic recipe developed by the Brussels-based band FùGù MANGO, impossible to stay static on their African beats, Indie p ­ op melodies and nasty guitar sounds straight from Kinshasa countertops (or London’s sidewalks), all enhanced by two distinguished and elegant male & female voices.” — Les Inrocks

CONTACT Olivier Delloye — oli@nadabooking.be facebook.com/fugumango

“A real mother chugger of a space-rock monster.”

— Thump/Vice

CONTACT Dennis A. Van Poucke — info@yokozuna.be gomarch.com facebook.com/GoMarchGoMarch

HYDROGEN SEA

I WILL I SWEAR

20:45-21:30 | Friday, January 15, 2016

15:50 | Friday, January 15, 2016

20:00-20:45 | Friday, January 15, 2016

News Café

Coffee Company

Der AA Theater

Hydrogen Sea = multi-instrumentalist PJ Seaux and singer Birsen Uçar. PJ plays guitar, triggers the wavy synths and drops the (gentle) beats. Simultaneously. Birsen complements their distinctive sound with her ethereal vocals and moony lyrics. This oxymoronic beauty is what makes Hydrogen Sea’s sound so unique and captivating. Two viral tracks were all this enchanting duo needed to convince national radio stations and influential blogs.

“Hydrogen Sea’s crisp, electronic arrangements provide a suitable bed for some wonderfully languid, melancholic vocals. Gorgeous, moving effort.” — Clash

CONTACT

Hanne Valckenaers — hanne@musickness.be hydrogensea.com facebook.com/HydrogenSea

Fien’s powerful vocals gently shimmer upon her melancholic lyrics and on Jonathan’s sketches on the piano. The chemistry that is released in the process seems to touch anyone within hearing distance, as the duo’s debut single “Long Days” found its way to hearts worldwide in no time. Fast forward, the duo has transformed into a seven piece (live) band, hereby enriching their sound and ambition, which resulted into the critically acclaimed Strings of Gold EP.

If the sweet, wintery sounds of this Belgian duo don’t pierce your heart, their simple and emotional lyrics will for sure.

— invisiblechildren.com

CONTACT

Jarri Van Der Haeghen — management@iwilliswear.com iwilliswear.com facebook.com/iwilliswear

ILLUMININE

IT IT ANITA

20:45-21:25 | Thursday, January 14, 2016 Grand Theatre (Up)

00:15-01:00 | Thursday, January 14, 2016

Illuminine, the brainchild of Kevin Imbrechts, breathes Iceland, and their debut album (#1), could be related to Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds or A Winged Victory For The Sullen. But Imbrechts was not necessarily influenced by them. “Through the years, I’ve mainly been influenced by Buckhethead. Electric Tears was my very first experience with slow, instrumental guitar music.”

IT IT ANITA associate loud, powerful music with subtle details and deep emotions. Think of a dynamic hybrid of Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Metz and At The Drive In. Recently they released a new album called Recorded by John Agnello, a legendary man known for his work for Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile, Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth. The band is known for their energetic and passionate live shows — cf shows at Pukkelpop and Le Guess Who? — and they mostly end up playing in the crowd.

“Keep an eye on this boy, Kevin Imbrechts alias Illuminine” — Noisey/Vice

Huis de Beurs

CONTACT

“We saw an impressive IT IT ANITA at Dour and were totally amazed by their energetic live ­performance. A great band with a lot of potential.” — Go For Music

Geert Mets — geert.mets@zealrecords.com illuminine.be facebook.com/illuminine

CONTACT Björn Nuyens — Bjorn@Ampersandmusic.be ititanita.com facebook.com/ItItAnita

KING DALTON

LOST FREQUENCIES

23:45-00:30 | Wednesday, January 13, 2016

01:15-02:00 | Thursday, January 14, 2016

News Café

Huize Maas (main)

King Dalton is not just a folk rock band… They sound like a sexy mix of avant-garde folk & blues, covered with exotic world grooves & Zappanese soul funk. Add soundscapes and crispy guitar distortions to that, and you will experience this five piece band — with musicians who are also known from Laïs, Zita Swoon, Think Of One, AedO and A Brand — as a psychedelic revelation!

Felix De Laet, aka Lost Frequencies, released the global smash hit “Are You With Me” back in August 2014 and quickly cemented himself as a name to watch. De Laet spent an astonishing 6 weeks at the top of his native Belgian chart and was the first Belgian artist to have a number one record in the United Kingdom. Spectacular Follow up “Reality” is, as of September 2015, the #1 track for airplay in Europe and the tune on the lips of the entire continent.

“No doubt: King Dalton is the most fascinating and exotic Flemish trance band of the moment.”

— De Standaard

CONTACT

Inge De Bruyn — inge@gentlemanagement.com kingdalton.be facebook.com/kingdalton

“Overall, Lost Frequencies’ remix of “Are You With Me” is exceptional, and worthy of all the buzz and hype that it has received from all over Europe. It garners an A-rating.”

— Digital Journal

CONTACT Nick Royaards — NR@tomorrowland.com lostfrequencies.com facebook.com/LostFrequenciesMusic/?fref=ts

21:00-21:45

ERIKSSON DELCROIX

23:45-00:30

Grand Theatre (Up)

KING DALTON

21:30-22:15

News Café

GO MARCH

00:30-01:15

Huis De Beurs

THE BLACK HEART REBELLION

23:00-23:45

THE K.

Der AA-Theater

De Spieghel (Up)

20:00-20:45

I WILL I SWEAR Der AA Theater 20:00-20:45

TINY LEGS TIM De Spieghel (Up) 20:45-21:30

HYDROGEN SEA News Café

21:25-22:10 20:45-21:25

TOUT VA BIEN

Grand Theatre (Up)

21:30-22:15

Stadsschouwburg

ILLUMININE 21:00-21:45

23:00-23:45

VICTORIA+JEAN

FÙGÙ MANGO

USVA

21:25-22:10

Minerva art Academy

ALICE ON THE ROOF Vrijdag

23:00-23:45

VUURWERK

Huize Maas (Front)

00:15-01:00

IT IT ANITA

Huis De Beurs 01:15-02:00

LOST FREQUENCIES

Huize Maas (Main)

WOODIE SMALLS Simplon

22:10-22.50

CHANTAL ACDA

Praesidinus Gymnasium 22:15-23:00

OAKTREE Infoversum

22.40-23.20

TOURIST LEMC

Minerva Praediniussingel (main room) 23:00-23:45

MARBLE SOUNDS USVA

23:45-00:30

DOUGLAS FIRS

Grand Theatre (Up) 01:15-02:00

MUGWUMP Simplon

01:15-02:00

BRIQUEVILLE Mutua Fides

00:30-01:15

THE GERMANS

De Spieghel (Up)

MARBLE SOUNDS

MUGWUMP

23:00-23:45 | Friday, January 15, 2016

01:15-02:00 | Friday, January 15, 2016

USVA

Simplon (Main)

Two years after the hit single “Leave a Light On”, Marble Sounds turns a corner with their new album, Tautou, which sounds different from any previous work: great in simplicity, sometimes bombastic, at times intense, between post-rock and neatly arranged pop and full of melancholy. Death Cab For Cutie, Elbow and Frightened Rabbit could be their neighbours. Marble Sounds is ready to write the next chapter.

With an output dubbed as “the most diverse catalogue in the current house music field” by RA or as “timeless” by Pitchfork, Belgian revered producer & dj Mugwump is building a legacy of non-formulaic music, fusing 80’s pop music, Post­Punk, EBM, dub, film scores, industrial & new-beat influences with disco & techno. Now duly revamped for the stage in a storming psych/electronic funk/indie mix, Mugwump has turned into a 4­-piece band (bass/guitar/synths/fxs/ beatbox) to rapturous response and is set to makes waves onto the indie scene.

“So clean-sounding but then again so sensitive and emotional at the same time.” — Steve Lamacq (BBC RADIO 1)

“Belgium’s underground answer to Daft Punk” — Groove magazine

CONTACT Waldo Dekeyser — waldo.dekeyser@telenet.be marblesounds.com facebook.com/marblesounds

CONTACT Geoffroy Dewandeler — geoffroy.hiphen@gmail.com the­subfield.com facebook.com/MUGWUMP.MUSIC

OAKTREE

THE BLACK HEART REBELLION

22:15-23:00 | Friday, January 15, 2016

00:30-01:15 | Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Infoversum

Der AA-theater

Like an oak tree changes according to the season and time of the year, the musical biography of the Belgian producer Oaktree (Adriaan de Roover) reads as well as a story of organic change. After the debut EP Chapter (2014) and follow up ‘Amalgamation’ together with Avondlicht, his second solo-EP, Dust, is ready to be revealed. Think of a private party between William Basinski, Nicolas Jaar and Fennesz, and you will get there.

Ten years along the way, T.B.H.R. has gained the reputation as one of the most interesting rock bands Belgium has delivered.

The band finds its origins in the hardcore scene but has evolved.

Constant change is the engine, drawing from an extraordinary range of influences to create a strange but compelling mix of genres. An obscure atmosphere and intense live performance are the common thread.

“Oaktree intends to bridge the gap between the club and the bedroom, sound system and headphones.” — Clash

“This album remains compelling throughout, proving both more evocative and more consistently engaging than its predecessors.” — Drowned In Sound

CONTACT Sander Graumans — oaktree@punchcard.be oaktreemusic.net facebook.com/oaktreeofficial

CONTACT Benjamin Beutels — benjamin@rockoco.be theblackheartrebellion.com facebook.com/theblackheartrebellion

THE GERMANS

THE K.

00:30-01:15 | Friday, January 15, 2016

23.00-­23.45 | Wednesday, January 13, 2016

De Spieghel (Up)

De Spieghel (Up)

The Germans are going strong for 13 years now and during that time they’ve succeeded in building an eclectic sound. Their signature sound evolves form hard to soft and back again and effortlessly combines noise with pure songs. You can expect both Sonic Youth, Brainiac, Liars, Captain Beefheart, and early Krautrock (Can, Faust, Neu!). Even some The Beatles, Pink Floyd and David Bowie can shine through!

The K. is a noise rock band from Belgium. Their critically acclaimed debut album, My flesh reveals millions of souls, earned them 200 gigs in 17 countries all over Europe. Burning Pattern Etiquette, the sophomore record, shows a new face of the band.

Those who grew up on Birthday Party and Jesus Lizard now know their artistic legacy is in good hands with The K.

“The Germans are championing in the self-designed category ‘motorik beat heavy infinity pop’. Flemish Voodoo, it exists.”

— Mauro Pawlowski (Evil Superstars, dEUS)

CONTACT Franky Roels — franky@stage-mania.com thegermans.be facebook.com/thegermans4U

“The K. reinvents itself when others get stuck” — Le Soir

CONTACT Maxime Lhussier — max@jauneorange.be thek.be facebook.com/theknoise

TINY LEGS TIM

TOURIST LEMC

20:00-20:45 | Friday, January 15, 2016 12:30 | Saturday, January 16, 2016

22:40-23:20 | Friday, January 15, 2016

De Spiegel (up)

Minerva Praediniussingel (Main Room)

Coffee Company

As fingerpicking virtuoso, talented slide guitarist but above all as rock solid lyricist, Tiny Legs Tim knows how to make strong and unique blues and roots music. The name Tiny Legs Tim is a nod to his thin legs: a consequence of surgery and a battle for survival spanning years. This Belgian has the blues.

“This Belgian bluesman is a real discovery and it’s clear we do not need to despair. High quality blues is still being produced and Tiny Legs Tim is the proof.”

— Barnowblues (NL)

CONTACT Marije van Veen — marije@lexicon-bookings.com tinylegstim.com facebook.com/Tiny-Legs-Tim-159953665641

Antwerp rapper, folk artist & storyteller. Tourist connects the social traditions of rap & folk with current themes, drawing from his experience as a social worker. His hometown of Antwerp functions as a microcosm for current issues.

His second album En Route went gold in Belgium, and was followed by a string of sold-out club shows & major festivals in Belgium & The Netherlands.

CONTACT Christian Pierre — christian@musickness.be Bavo Jacobs — bavo@musickness.be tourist-lemc.be facebook.com/TouristLemc

TOUT VA BIEN

VICTORIA+JEAN

21:25-22:10 | Friday, January 15, 2016

21:00-21:45 | Thursday, January 14,2016

Stadsschouwburg

USVA

Tout Va Bien creates a vulnerable and dreamy atmosphere on his debut album Kepler Star.

Music with a warm flow and deep glow, not unrelated to James Blake, Radiohead or Patrick Watson. Make yourself cosy, put up your feet and daydream away …

Victoria+Jean were born between Stockholm and Brussels a little more than twenty years ago. Victoria’s tender voice was made for the electrical caresses of Jean’s guitar. Together, they write songs and roam every club on the planet from New York to Rio, before recording their first album, Divine Love, with some mythical figures. For those who might still have doubts: love is divine.

“You flew too high”, he sings in his radiohit “This Fight”.

But Tout Va Bien shouldn’t worry about flying too high above the clouds. His newborn album “Kepler Star” is one that caresses your ears. We grant him his spot at Rock Werchter wholeheartedly.— RifRaf

“Apparently the pair were listening to a lot of Malian music and Nigerian rock from the 60s and 70s which, through their filter, has resulted in a crazed kind of experi-pop. Like PJ Harvey reworking “Atlas” by Battles.” — Noisey

CONTACT

CONTACT

Gimme Shelter — info@gimme-shelter.be toutvabienmusic.com facebook.com/toutvabienmusic

Fredrik Andersson — fredrik@pacemswe.com victoriaplusjean.com facebook.com/victoriaplusjean

VUURWERK

WOODIE SMALLS

23:00-23:45 | Thursday, January 14, 2016

21:30-22:15 | Friday, January 15,2016

Huize Maas (Front)

Platform Theater (Main)

Belgian trio VUURWERK has become one of the their country’s most talked-about exports. Signing to London-based indie Lo Recordings, the band has released 2 EPs in 2015 of genre-defying electronic music that have seen them compared to the likes of Massive Attack, Atoms for Peace and James Holden and attracted the attention of international tastemakers such as Disco Naivete, Clash Magazine and Thump who hailed them as the best thing to have come out of Belgium since Soulwax.

With the release of his debut single “Champion Sound”, Woodie Smalls aka Woods immediately made a name for himself. His debut single created a buzz way bigger than the 19-year-old MC could’ve envisioned back when he started recording. Some of Belgium’s biggest radio stations, Studio Brussel and MNM, added the track to their daily rotation and FM Brussels even made it their favourite track of the week. Soft Parade, the debut album

by Woodie Smalls was released September 18, 2015.

“… on a fast-track to becoming one of their nation’s notable exports, besides chocolates, Soulwax and that one girl you made out with while backpacking, of course.” — THUMP (US)

“You don’t usually associate Belgium – a country where rivers flow with chocolate, the streets are lined with mussels, and everyone works for the European Union – with hip-hop. Yet here’s the young Woodie Smalls, dropping a melodic rap banger so naturally you’d think he was closer to the West Coast than West Flanders.” — Noisey (UK)

CONTACT John Power (Best In Show) — john@thebestinshow.net Filip Van Moerkercke — filip@playout.be runtellsecrecy.org facebook.com/VuurwerkMusic

CONTACT Tim Dalle — tim@kijkenmag.be woodiesmalls.com facebook.com/woodiesmal

Check the Eurosonic Conference programme for more details on Belgium Booms Drink.

WITH THE SUPPORT OF SABAM FOR CULTURE CONTACT@SABAM.BE WWW.SABAMFORCULTURE.BE

INFO@KUNSTENPUNT.BE WWW.KUNSTENPUNT.BE

WALLONIE-BRUXELLES MUSIQUES WBM@CFWB.BE WWW.WBM.BE