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Laid Back: The new LDBK is here! @ Musique Non Stop | Musique Non Stop

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Monday, January 13, 2014

Laid Back: The new LDBK is here! @ Musique Non Stop


Laid Back: The new LDBK is here! @ Musique Non Stop




  1. The new LDBK is here!
  2. Marc Moulin Tribute
  3. Rumors of Royalty
  4. adidas unites all originals
  5. Gear Change
  6. LDBK poster remix
  7. Oli-B x Rose Studio
  8. Silence Radio
  9. Meet Tchad Unpoe
  10. Strand – SLAM FUNK!
  11. 74 Miles Away at ELBjazz festival
  12. David Widart
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST



    At the end of June, I felt like I wasn’t having fun with Laid Back anymore and started wondering what to do: put an end to the project or adapt it in one way or the other…
    A couple of days later, as I was working at Digital Park, I shared my thoughts with designer Ali Nassiri. He was surprised when I told him I was considering re-branding Laid Back. He knew that refreshing the website had been on my mind for a long time but getting rid of the logo, that, was a whole different ball game.
    I'd have to convince him first… and as I did, this helped me clarify my ideas.
    Another step in an ever-evolving project.
    I started Laid Back some 11 years ago without any kind of strategy. Along the way, many people helped shape it, each bringing their own skills and vision to the project. That’s how, almost by accident, Laure came up with the Afro logo.
    What a great visual! Stickers, stencils, remixes, t-shirts, posters … It spread and stuck all over the place and far beyond. But I felt that the visual had become too powerful, hiding the projects it was supposed to support and limiting us to the “hip hop / street art” niche.
    I still love hip hop, still love street art and every project we have worked on but I’d like to broaden the scope and bring the people behind the music to the forefront – no matter what genre, or discipline.
    I believe that behind every favourite song there is an untold story and that every great story needs the perfect soundtrack. This is what the new logo represents: sound waves and books, music and stories. This is what you can expect from LDBK.
    And so what now, you say?
    Obviously LDBK won’t radically change but I hope this new identity will allow us to explore new fields and embark on exciting new projects.
    If you are looking for a soundtrack, we have gathered our “radio-inspired” activities in the music section with a linear stream, the hotlists (a monthly selection of new tracks added to the stream), guest mixes, and our current favourite tracks.

    You'll also find a telex style feed with the latest news that we've been interested in, things that caught our attention on various social networks as well as an experimental TV section featuring our favourite youtube videos.
    But the real deal is to be involved in projects and share original stories with you. Coming up we'll be featuring the work of Stephane Missier, Gautier Houba, Mop Mop & Strand. In the meantime, if you head to the stories section, you can re-discover some of our best stories from the last 5 years.
    Hope you’ll enjoy this new approach!
    Do let me know if you think there are stories we should cover and what you think of our new identity.
    And a few words of thanks
    Thank-you to:
    • Laure Cambier for blessing us with Laid Back’s Afro logo,
    • François Flahaux for working on the player and adding a much needed soundtrack to this new website,
    • Sarah Basha for helping clarify my ideas and translate them into words,
    • Ali Nassiri for not only offering me this new logo and website, but also for being a source of inspiration since day one,
    • You for visiting this page, for your ongoing support… and for reading the fine print.
    Posted: 05 Nov 2013 03:35 AM PST
    On Friday, the 26th of September 2008, Belgian jazz legend Marc Moulin passed away. Moulin, pianist, composer, producer and arranger, is internationally known for his work with his fusion group Placebo and electro-pop group Telex, but was a highly appreciated radio producer and writer in Belgium as well.
    Marc Moulin, born in Ixelles, Brussels in 1942, made his first steps in the Belgian jazz scene at the 1961 Comblain-la-Tour festival, where he won the Bobby Jaspar trophy for best soloist. Two years later, he joined the band of Belgian saxophone player Alex Scorier, with whom he joined the Johnny Dover band in 1965. It's with this band that Moulin made his first recordings: the Jazz Goes Swinging LP by The Saint-Tropez Jazz Octet in 1969. Two years later, Moulin and his close friend and guitar player Philip Catherine formed their own band, Placebo.

    The group played a unique sounding mixture of jazz, soul, rock and funk, using lots of electronic sounds. Marc Moulin, off course, was the first Belgian to own a Moog synthesizer, so he tells in his biography 'Les Neuf Vies de Marc Moulin' (Thierry Coljon). Placebo recorded three albums ('Ball Of Eyes', '1973' and 'Placebo') and one 45 rpm single from 1971 until the group split up in 1976. On these records, Moulin is surrounded by the cream of Belgian musicians: Richard Rousselet, Nick Fissette, Alex Scorier, Johnny Dover, Françis Weyer, Philip Catherine, Nick Kletchkovsky, Yvan De Souter, Freddy Rottier, Bruno Castellucci, Garcia Morales and Jean-Pierre Onraedt. Some of these musicians also played on the cult album 'Sam Suffy', which Moulin recorded in 1974, and on Philip Catherine's debut 'Stream', which Moulin produced.
    After disbanding Placebo, Moulin takes a break from the jazz scene and produces records for artists like Lio, Alain Chamfort and off course starts his electro-pop group Telex together with Dan Lacksman and Michel Moers at the end of the seventies. He also writes a lot of music for television and radio. Moulin returns to the jazz scene in 2001, when he combines his two great loves, jazz and electronic dance music, on the album Top Secret (Blue Note Records). He recorded his last album, 'I Am You', in 2007. In between making his own music, Moulin has been a radio producer since the end of the sixties and a long time writer for magazine Télémoustique.
    With Marc Moulin, Belgium lost one of its most unique jazz personalities and one of its most versatile musicians.
    His visionary fusion of musical genres and use of electronics on his early seventies records still sound fresh to this day. He was ahead of his time when he formed Placebo, he created the blueprint for electronic dance music with Telex and he was a pioneer of the electro jazz movement at the start of Y2K.
    When he released 'I Am You' in 2007, I had the chance to interview Marc Moulin. I was not far away from his house when the EMI press attaché called me to say all interviews were cancelled due to health issues. The interview never took place and I really regret that, because I had so many questions to ask. About that unique Placebo sound. About the other players on that Saint-Tropez Jazz Octet record. About his little bet with Vogue label owner Roger Meylemans which spawned four experimental/free jazz records on a DIY label called Kamikaze Records. About how (and why) he ended up at the Eurovision Festival with Telex…
    Let us hope that the legend lives on in his music.

    More about Marc Moulin : official website - wikipedia - discogs.
    Cover picture by Philippe Mathijs.
    Text originally published on September 30th, 2008.

    5 years later

    Marc Moulin - Songs & MoodsFive years later, we celebrate Marc Moulin’s impressive career with a tribute event at Flagey (Brussels, Nov. 20th) and the release of a double CD compilation ”Songs & Moods” (Parlophone Music Belgium, Nov. 8th) .

    Posted: 27 Oct 2013 09:46 AM PDT
    Two years and countless studio sessions after his latest release, Brooklyn based producer Jason “ClassicBeatz” Minnis presents his new album “Rumors of Royalty” (CD / digital): 9 tracks mixing funk, soul, jazz, hip hop and house music – all the influences that Jason experienced growing up in St. Petersburg, Florida.

    I discovered Jason’s music back in 2009 when he sent me his “Nicholas Kopernicus” project. Since then we collaborated on various projects including the beautiful duo with Lisa Preston featured on the LDBK compilation and the surprising “Romantic Reflections“. Once in a while, we call each other, discuss projects in the making, listen to demos… When Jason asked me to recommend him a singer for “In the Garden”, I immediately thought about Desta. There is definitively a Laid Back feel to this track also featuring 74 Miles Away‘s flutist Stefan Bracaval.
    classicbeatz
    © Stephane Missier
    Rumors of Royalty is more of a direct representation of who I am today. It traces my influences growing up in Florida as well as all the experiences that I have had throughout the years.
    Last week I had the chance to ask Jason a few questions about his project.
    LDBK: Do the different genres on the album reflect the variety of music you are listening to?
    Jason: Yes it does. I’ve always had an eclectic taste in music and I feel that this album reflects that diversity. From a young age I had a wide variety of influences from classical to hip hop and Miami bass. As I got older I became interested in my roots and the music of the African diaspora. I feel that this album reflects that diversity.
    LDBK: There are some 20 musicians on your new album including Fresh Daily, Big Rube (Dungeon Family), Diggs Duke… not too difficult to work with such a large team as far as recording is concerned?
    Jason: Ha! Very good question. I’ve been blessed to be able to work with such a wide range of talented musicians from Atlanta, LA, Brooklyn, DC, Brussels, Germany and London. I know most of the musicians on the album personally through the local scene in Brooklyn. Most of the time they all know each other as well. My international collaborations have been seamless as well. I think the reason why it has worked so well is that I’m a fan of all the musicians that I worked with. This made it easy for me to connect with them and bring them into the vision of this project.
    LDBK: A couple of months ago, you told me that “Rumors of Royalty” was the last part of a trilogy started with “Nicholas Kopernicus – Audiocentric” and “Ntale’s Groove“… How would you link those three projects together?
    Jason: Yes I do consider Rumors of Royalty the end of a trilogy. I would say the common link between these 3 projects is my exploration of the African diaspora and my own personal heritage. With Nicholas Kopernicus – Audiocentric, Seon and I wanted to make album that showed the common link between our different heritages (Seon is from Trinidad  & I am African American).  That project set the tone for me to explore my roots in the African Diaspora via music.  Ntale’s Groove was a much more personal album. This album was a direct result of my first 2 visits to East Africa. Ntale’s Groove attempted trace to my heritage across the Atlantic ocean through music. Rumors of Royalty is more of a direct representation of who I am today. It traces my influences growing up in Florida as well as all the experiences that I have had throughout the years.

    LDBK: Why this title “Rumors of Royalty”?
    Jason: I named the project Rumors of Royalty because of  the wide variety of Pan-African literature I read as a kid. Both of my parents were involved in education and civil rights in the 60′s and 70′s. Because of this I was well read on Pan-African giants like Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X and  Kwame Nkrumah. From a young age I was taught that my ancestors were kings and queens. Even the lowliest  slave could have been decedent from royalty back in Africa. That’s why I named the album Rumors of Royalty.
    LDBK: The artwork has been made by a Brazilian artist. Could you introduce him? How did you hook up and collaborated on this crucial part of the project?
    Jason: My friend Gian Paolo is responsible for the artwork. Gian is an amazing visual artist from Brazil. Ironically Gian is also a musician and our first collaboration was on a remix for Ntale’s Groove. When I first saw some of his artworks I knew I wanted to work with him.  Gian has been a very important part of the Rumors of Royalty project. He created the visual representation of the music. To me the artwork has always been a very important aspect and Gian really brought the project to another level. I am very grateful for Gian Paolo’s contribution.
    LDBK: What’s gonna be your next project as producer?
    Jason: Honestly I have no idea. As a producer I think I’m going to take a little break and focus on my piano playing for a couple of months. I would love to perform some of my music live as well but I have no clear cut plans. I tend to just drift to wherever my muse takes me. Whatever happens next I will be sure to keep you posted!

    More about ClassicBeatz: facebooktwittersoundcloud
    Buy “Rumors of Royalty” on bandcamp
    Cover picture by Gian Paolo La Barbera

    Posted: 14 Sep 2013 03:29 PM PDT
    http://youtu.be/dA8DsUN6g_k
    Back in 1986, Run-D.M.C released “My Adidas” as first single from its third album «Raising Hell». The track (and the «Superstar» basketball shoe) quickly gained cult status leading to the first endorsement deal between hip-hop artists and a major brand.
    http://youtu.be/iTVyO4HvYAE
    More than 25 years later, creative services firm Sid Lee launched the "Unite All Originals" campaign for Adidas: a collaboration between Run DMC and A-Trak with an emphasis on user interactions as viewers can use voice commands and visual effects to control the video.
    Our favorite street photographer Stephane Missier recently left NYC for Montreal and has a particular connection with this project…
    I’ve been living in beautiful Montreal and working for Sid Lee since January 2013 and I am loving it.
    LDBK: Stephane, why did you move to Montreal?
    Stephane: Sid Lee reach out to me back in 2012 as they were looking for a strategist on the adidas Originals account. The 3-stripes brand has always been a love mark for me as a ‘consumer” and is a pretty cool brand to work for so the decision to relocate to Montreal was a fairly easy one to take – even thought leaving New York can be quite difficult. I’ve been living in beautiful Montreal and working for Sid Lee since January 2013 and I am loving it.
    LDBK: Can you tell us a bit more about the Originals campaign featuring Run DMC and A-Trak?
    Stephane : To celebrate the anniversary of adidas Originals’ partnership with legendary hip hop act Run DMC, we created an interactive music video for a new exclusive track called ‘All Day Originals’. The campaign who is running in 55 countries, relies primarily on a digital interactive experience called Unite All Originals. It sees hip-hop legends Run DMC collide with Canadian turntablist extraordinaire A-Trak in New York, wreaking creative havoc across the city. As part of the experience, users are invited to create their own visual remix of the video by shouting out things they see in the film, triggering animations and special effects in real time.
    LDBK: Sid Lee Montreal is listed as one of the 28 coolest workplaces. Could you give us a tip on how to join the team?
    Stephane: Sid Lee is definitely a great place to work and to grow. I love its multidisciplinary approach to advertising and often, you end up working with architects, technologists, producers and a bunch very talented creative people from different fields. Sid Lee also really cares about its people and encourages a culture of free-spirited creativity. They invite artists from around the world to adorn the office. Montreal street artist Stikki Peaches just came to the office to wheatpaste some art pieces. The bistro serves free breakfast, an XL communal table invites everyone to eat together and there are numerous parties and gatherings to forge bonds with co-workers. It’s a work hard play hard type of environment. Sid Lee also runs a collective called 'Sid Lee Collective' supporting employees' cultural and commercial projects in the fields of the visual arts, industrial design, music, publishing, etc. I am hoping to do something with them that merges my passion for photography and my professional skills. As far as joining the agency, I know the recruiting team is always looking for fresh blood, so give them a shout if you are interested.
    LDBK: Now that you live in Montreal, do you keep documenting the streets of New York?
    Stephane: One good thing about Montreal is that it’s really close from NYC and less than 1 hour by plane. As a matter of fact, I was just there recently and snapped a couple of shots in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
    LDBK: Did you start exploring Montreal? Does the city inspire you new series?
    Stephane: I’ve started to bike around the island and have spotted a couple of interesting neighborhoods that fit my standards of grittiness. I have a couple of shots up on flickr but need to understand the local culture a bit better in order to pull out my camera.

    Drop a Rhyme

    I recently stumbled upon this fantastic mix by Chris Read. Hip Hop and originals samples…

    The mix featured on adidas Originals' Mixcloud account announces another step in the #UniteAllOriginals campaign (this one not being developed by Sid Lee though) using the new Instagram video feature in a very "old school meets new school" way. Rap contest 2013 style!
    "adidas is offering you a chance to "Drop a Rhyme" on A-Trak's beat alongside Run-DMC! The best entries will be featured on the #UniteAllOriginals remix!"
    http://youtu.be/FQ7AINQn6G8
    And here is the final remix.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk2aP3SxT-0
    Posted: 16 May 2013 02:38 AM PDT
    It's always a pleasure to announce a new album, like a newborn baby that is being introduced for the very first time amongst friends and relatives.
    After 2 years of relative silence (since the release of our first eponymous album on Melting Pot Music back in 2011), 74 Miles Away slaps back with a full-grown and anticipated sequal. This time we decided to go for a full "in- house" production (without record label), in collaboration with our trusty partner from Laid Back. Distribution though, will be handled by the fine people at Pusher Distribution (vinyl) & Fine Tunes (digital).

    As we were (and still are) too eager to play and please, we put emphasis on our dynamic live shows during the last 20 months. Having the honour to play a dozen of nice venues and several awesome festivals (national & international), resulted in this new album entitled 'Gear Change'. An 8-tracks, fully instrumental album mostly based on our live-gig experience.
    We're also glad to welcome flutist Stefan Bracaval as fourth band member. With other words, changing gears on the staff was nescessary to make this album happen. The input of Stef, his background and experience, his expressive flute sound, and the symbiosis with lead keyboard player Pierre Anckaert (they are playing together for years now in several other jazz-related projects) made it possible to elevate this project to another level. On the other hand we must admit that our full time day jobs  various musical projects, kiddies and other time-consuming activities,…  didn't make it easier to gather everybody for the recording sessions.

    Live recording

    As our material was written for the live gigs, we had to work the other way around during the recording process. By decomposing every song into suitable and studio friendly layers. With the help from our engineer, Jean Vanesse (owner of Greenhouse studio), we managed to record the album in 2 days. Though often less precise than practiced studio-arrangements, a live recording offered us a more realistic, exciting and raw feel (all musicians & instruments took place in the same room, beside the amps). Very few overdubs were executed to keep that organic and unpolished sound.
    We all love the live album format, the idea that the moments or evenings they document are epochal and worthy of preservation, the narratives they aim to present and the stories they sometimes tell in spite of themselves. A lot of influences can be found on 'Gear Change', from 70's jazz-funk to stomping boogie joints, all drenched in vintage analogue synths with a 2013 modernist feel.
    This is what "Gear Change" is all about. An album without words where the music speaks for itself.

    Credits:

    Pierre Anckaert : Fender rhodes piano – Korg leads – Nord Stage
    Louis Van de Leest : Moog – Wurlitzer piano – Synths
    Eric Paquet : Controllers - Sampler – Guitar
    Stefan Bracaval: Flutes

    All tracks written & produced by  74 Miles Away
    Recorded and mixed by  Jean Vanesse @ Greenhouse studio
    Mastering by Vincent De Bast @ Sonar studios

    Vinyl: Favorite recordingsHHVJuno
    Digital: iTunesBandcamp

    Bookings: dieter@futurestandards.be

    Posted: 04 Mar 2013 03:13 AM PST
    LDBK postcards
    A couple of months ago, Niels sent me a sketch inspired by listening to LDBK radio and asked me if I had any idea what we could do with it. I had seen this colouring contest launched by Fremdtunes a couple of weeks before and loved it. So we decided to ask people around us to finish Niels' poster.
    SONY DSC
    The original version was quite good, but what you came up with is just next level!
    As we didn’t want a purely digital project, we decided to print 12 of our favourite remixes in postcard format. (set of 12 cards – 105×148 mm – 350gr – limited to 250 numbered copies)
    The 12 remix that we selected:
    The other participants:
    Thank you Feriz for designing the cards and big up to the 27 artists who sent us their take on Niels’ poster.
    Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:44 AM PST
    It’s been three years that I have the chance to work closely with painter Oli-B and I love how each project turns into an adventure full of surprises… A couple of weeks ago, interior designer Robert Bockowski from RoseStudio invited us for a last minute trip to Warsaw to check the production of their first collaboration: “Olga”.
    “Brussels artist Oli-B (born in 1984) knows what he wants, and he wants a lot. His work ranges across a huge array of media, but they all have one thing in common: they are the conductors for his limitless energy and dreams. His posters and walls on the streets, his album sleeves, prints, drawings, magazine covers, and paintings all breathe the same fluidity: gentle curves; abstract forms that both hint at, and escape from, the figurative; colours that are emphatic but balance each other; and a composition that binds everything together. His own highly distinctive style is the result of a lengthy evolution: from his early days as a graffiti artist, he kept what he loved – shapes and colours – and started to flirt more with contemporary art. The letters developed in the direction of characters, the characters towards forms.”
    It is no surprise that the next logical step in his evolution as an artist was to fulfill his dreams of three dimensions. Now, together with the Brussels designers at RoseStudio, he developed “Olga”, a wall unit bearing the vintage Oli-B design. A soulful, intimate, and expressive piece injecting abstract and organic forms with a strong personality. Oli-B’s work is alive – now more than ever!”

    Text by Kurt Snoekx, editor at AGENDA magazine

    On November 29th it was finally time to present “Olga” and open Oli-B’s first solo show… What an opening that was!

    Thank you Oli & Robert for inviting me to participate in this great project.

    Posted: 23 Nov 2012 06:29 AM PST
    French MC Pumpkin releases her new EP “Silence Radio” in collaboration with LDBK Radio and recorded this exclusive radio show featuring all the project’s guests.

    Pumpkin, made her fist moves into Hip Hop in the nineties under the influence of MC Solaar. After spending 6 years in Barcelona where she multiplied collaborations and concerts with artists such as Aerolineas Subterraneas, Beatspoke, Debilorithmicos or DJ Chavez, Pumpkin released “Le Vernissage” EP in 2006. In 2007, Pumpkin and Supafuh started working on a LP “L'Année en Décembre” which was released in 2009. In 2011, Vin'S da Cuero and Pumpkin launched Mentalow Music to release their own projects.
    pumpkin1
    After a series of collaborations, concerts with beatmaker Vin'S da Cuero and DJ Lyrik (Paris, Barcelona, Brussels), opening for artists such as DJ Vadim, Ladi6, Grooveman Spot et Mitsu The Beats or J Live, Pumpkin started working on “Silence Radio”… Boom Bap, Soul and Electronica are the main ingredients for this project featuring an eclectic international team such as 20syl (Hocus Pocus/C2C), DJ Vadim, Ty, Pugs Atomz, Metropolis (Foreign Beggars), Vin'S da Cuero, Supafuh, Quiet Dawn…
    I even had the chance to welcome Pumpkin and friends in the Laid Back office for a crêpes party and video shoot.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLoTYkoIwH8

    Buy the full digital EP on iTunes
    CD’s and vinyls available via Mentalow records or Bandcamp
    Free download “Silence Radio / Mute”
    Make sure to also read Pumpkin’s interview on Find Magazine
    Artwork by Veuch

    Posted: 20 Oct 2012 07:19 AM PDT
    We team up with French artist Tchad Unpoe for the release of his new album “UNDOE“.

    Dandy Teru who worked as artistic director on this project introduced me to Tchad a couple of months ago so I had the chance to follow the various steps leading to this album release. Active since 1994, Tchad already released 2 albums (Emcique Furilla – 2005 & Musique de France  - 2006), collaborated with various artists and collectives such as Grems, Sept, Keny Arkana, Sako (Chien de Paille), Insight, La Fronce, Keny Arkana ,… and was featured on the soundtrack of “Mesrine”.
    a1202790338_10
    While this album is mainly in French, you’ll also hear Tchad rapping in Spanish and English on productions by Le N?ko, Richard Colvaen, Jr Eakee and Dandy Teru.
    Musically speaking French rap is where i’m coming from and, although I mostly avoided the genre during the past years, I’m glad Tchad, Teru, Pumpkin, aCatCalledFritz and a few others are bringing me back to it!
    Listen to this exclusive mix where Tchad presents his favourites tracks and influences:

    As part of our partnership, Tchad accepted to offer one track out of his album to LDBK’s audience. Enjoy “What we play is life“!

    Tchad Unpoe on FacebookTwitterSoundcloud
    UNDOE is now available on iTunes, Bandcamp or directly on www.unpoe.com
    Picture by Elise Boularan - Album artwork by THEA


    Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:09 AM PDT

    After the DUB! 7inch, Spanish producer based in Brussels Strand teams up once again with illustrator Oli-B for his new project SLAM FUNK! supported by the Lowriders Collective.
    slam funk
    Another step into his exploration of black music, this record is Strand’s maiden voyage into funk sounds from the 70s and 80s with an un*conservative spirit. SLAM FUNK! is not a look back to the past but a vision of what today and the future could be like. We are living difficult times and forecasts are not good. SLAM FUNK! is one of the many answers.
    I had the chance to visit Strand’s studio quite a few times while he was working on this album and I immediately fell in love with PRINCE… The first time I hear the man singing on a track actually. In order to celebrate this release, we decided to offer you this track (+ four bonuses).

    The digital version of this album is now available on iTunes and Bandcamp.
    200 copies of the vinyl record with artwork by Oli-B are available via Clone.
    Pictures by Gautier Houba - More from the same set

    Posted: 19 Jun 2012 09:06 AM PDT
    On May the 26th, 74 Miles Away played at ELBjazz, a festival organized in Hamburg’s harbor with over 50 concerts at unique venues – in the cargo hold of an old freight ship, at a small theatre in Hamburg's famous Speicherstadt, or at the huge Blohm+Voss shipyards…
    Incredible setup for a brilliant weekend.

    74 Miles Away are…
    Pierre Anckaert: Fender rhodes, Korg leads, Nord Stage
    Louis Van De Leest: Wurlitzer piano, Moog synth
    Eric Paquet: Controllers, Guitar
    Stefan Bracaval: Flutes

    Video & pictures by Mathieu Cadet for saladetout

    Posted: 20 Apr 2012 08:28 AM PDT
    When Julius asked me to present my work on Laid Back, I thought about Psoman (see pictures below) right away.
    psoman1 psoman2
    Considering the similarity of our respective playlists and the countless hours we spend in bars and clubs, the collaboration seemed obvious. Psoman also lives in Liege. The city where people use to have this strong accent, where the 'sauce lapin' covers de meatballs, where people use to party long and offer drinks to people they barely know. We selected the tracks together and he took care of for the mix, that was a one shot.

    People who cross my path always tell me interesting stories. I love to capture those moments and illustrate them with a picture or two. Here are some of the people I had the chance to meet in the last months…
    Rinchen and Kedrup are brothers and sisters. The first words that come to mind are: good taste, cultured, writing, cinema, anthropology, charisma. I've been thinking about taking a photograph of them again for quite a while. Their names were written with chalk on my big blackboard-wall. But this time, I wanted them to be seen together on the picture. I met them in the beginning of the afternoon in Rinchen's beautiful apartment in the center of Brussels. We chatted, drank some tea, listened to Shlohmo and took these pictures.
    Martine has just turned 29. She has a twin sister. In their case, we call them sororal twins. They are real sisters, they were born on the same day with very little time apart from one another. Nevertheless, from a strictly physical point of view, they are not identical. You would not think they are twins by looking at them. Kiki is Martine's dog, he acts like a human. Misou is her schizophrenic cat that lives hidden in corners. Martine recently bought two books: "The manipulators are among us" and "How to get out of a conflict". It did not really work well. Not yet. Martine cries when birds fall off their nests, when frogs get lost in her garden and when she watches documentaries on gorillas' extinction. We should rip her heart out and study it. I think that it would save our civilization.
    Sometimes, on Fridays evenings, after a few heart-warming drinks, I am struck by bravery and boldness impulses. I therefore went and asked. He said yes.
    Paul says he was a very famous poet in Flanders. He says he could not stand the drawbacks of celebrity any longer, so decided to move out here. He's got his heart broken several times too. He used a picture I had given him to make this frame. He offered it to me one day I as was doing an exhibition. I remember he had white shaven hair and a globe-shaped earring hanging. Ever since that day, I have not run into him.
    In his previous life, Sam was a member of the Crips gang. Whenever he listens to music coming from LA, something physical triggers inside of him. It is set in his chest, it feels like a ball, it is strong. When this happens, he automatically starts dancing and executing bouncy West coast moves. Sam is particularly sensitive to beautiful things. I would not say its sensitiveness is abnormal or extreme but it definitely characterizes him.
    As a kid, his two favorite toys were a football ball and a doll. Sam belongs to these people who sense they have something special. Yet, he does not think that he is better or more interesting than the rest of us. It's just that he finds people's suggestions senseless. There are many things more essential. Sam's actual name is Samuel Pompetti. He plays the trumpet because of Miles Davis. Serge Gainsbourg's face is tattooed on his left arm. It's been years since he has spent some time inside the tipi he placed in his backyard. Also, he stopped touching other people's ears. Some of his shirts make him invincible while his earrings balance his left and right brains.
    That afternoon, I was flipping through a photo book on Rajasthan while Sam was explaining me how much that part of the world was so violent according to him. The people, the religion, their bonds, what they naturally transmit. Sam knows that he's from there, he feels it from inside, everything is there, within him. Despite his Italians origins, when one looks at him, one feels there's something more. Sam will go to India, that's for sure. He will leave when time is right.
    Tagada draws friends. After a while, she glues them on the walls. They are all quite big in comparison to her. Tagada is not able to blink. It does not sound like a big deal but it is a factor to consider as she regularly looks through her viewfinder in order to take pictures. This could also be why Tagada goes to automatic photo booths this often.
    Last year, Alain and André went to Tunisia for the holidays. They both work for the municipality during the rest of the year. They take the bus every morning, carrying their big boy-scout backpacks. The old school ones, the ones made of brown fabric with the leather strips. Alain and André always wear identitical clothes. I believe it happens quite naturally. Alain and André live together, they own the house they live in. They call each other 'brother'. That afternoon, I was in their living room. I was drinking one of these pinkish white beers that we had bought at Colruyt and I was looking at their photo album from their trip in Tunisia. I directly noticed that they were wearing their swimming suits by the pool with a certain pride. Blue swimming suits, the boxer shorts kind with white flower patterns. I asked if they still had the swimming suits.
    Franky calls himself 'Vol-au-vent'. He is an artist. He's got VAV initials tattooed on his arm. It is the kind of tattoo that you get in prison. Vol-au-vent and his big fragile heart see the countless paving stones of the sidewalk as authentic treasures. You should recognize him one of these days as he walks by with his so large feet. Planet Parfum is not Franky's piece of cake. He prefers the smells of real life. You should know that Franky rarely calls. He would rather wait for someone to call him. He told me so.
    Zineb has always made herself shelters: hiding places, shacks, caves. The latest one, her room, thoroughly resembles a LSD trip. Half fantastic and half oddly frightening. But Zined does not take any LSD. Zined needs to observe this unreal universe in order to find her inspiration. As a kid, she did not like the common dolls because she found them lifeless. Her mother had therefore made her one which has a music box inside that is triggered by a thread. Zined says it looks like Frankenstein, she loves it so, she argues that it brings good luck and can temper any angst.

    Stories translated from French to English by Adrien Rorive & N.K.

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