I know Benoit for a while, but only reviewed his most recent album (for some reason it just didn't happen before). I adore the last album and as he fits in my list of people who had an influence on my over the past years I felt like this is the right time for an in debt interview. There are not that many people who can say they worked with: Front 242, à ;GRUMH, Darin Huss (Psyche), Ayria, Claus Larsen (Leaether Strip), Len (Implant), Dominik (amGod), Dominique (Neikka Rpm), Donna Lynch (Ego Likeness), Jan Dewulf (Mildreda), Mari Kattman (HELIX), Noemi Aurora (HELALYN FLOWERS) ...
My classic starter: from where this name and what does it mean exactly?
Well, the name was brought by Seba when we started our first sonic experiments in the early nineties. It is just necrofobia spelled backwards actually and it was developed in our first tape (self-released) « black slang » from 1993. It sounded cool but also quite difficult to pronounce!
What got you into making music?
Seba and I were both huge music fans and we were active in the boiling scene of the eighties (both gothic, new wave, punk as well as EBM). The Side-Line magazine he had started (I joined a bit later) and the numerous contact we had with bands also contributed in the need to star tour own band. I was impressed by the synthetic sound of bands such as Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode or yet Front 242 and we wanted to blend it with the rising German scene (with bands like yelworC, Projekt Pitchfork or yet Das Ich, just to name a few). After a few experiments (our first track was a CAT RAPES DOG cover) with just one synthesizer, we bought some more equipments (inclunding an Atari with cubase for sequencing) and really started doing our own tracks. It was a logical evolution for us; we were listening to plenty of bands, writing reviews for the magazine, attending concerts, doing interviews,…
How has this project been created?
The first very official track was on the « Blood & Computers » sampler. We recorded that track in the FUZE BOX MACHINE studio in Charleroi with Manu D.
We were in contact with him through interviews we had done and also because we were about to release material from them on the « side-line tape label » and later they would also play the first side-line festival in Brussels (with Deranged Psyche taking over the vocals for that occasion).
Manu really introduced me to the basic of sequencing and recording. We had about the same background and most of all the same interests in synthesizers and computers! I later bougth from them their Korg Delta analog synthesizer I still have at home (you can hear some sounds of it on our first cd Elixir Lytique that was released on Celtic Circle. It is clear that when we met Alfred Kaenders from CCP, we really started doing things a bit more professional (like recording in a real studio, playing live and so on). We even shot a video for the track « Dying Rose » but it was never released. (I just have a copy on my computer for private use).
Slowly Séba Dolimont got out of it, but is still you some advice, how does that feel?
He was the driving force since the beginning. I’m sure that without him I wouldn’t have started a band, or at least things would have turned out really different. But his involvment in the label (alfa-matrix) and the fact that Patrice (from REGENERATOR) was providing vocals for several tracks led to the fact that he wouldn’t sing anymore. But he kept on providing lyrics, hints, advices… he is the first listener most of the time… he is the one who knows the band and also me the most. It is always interesting to have another view on what you’re doing. I also sometimes send tracks to Stef (Deranged Psyche) who also gives good advices (especially on the previous album).
Over the years you worked with a lot of artists, can you name them all? What was the coolest one to work with?
When I look back at our discography it seems that indeed we worked with a lot of people. One of our first collaboration was with the German band SABOTAGE QCQC? and since then we worked with a lot of other artists and/or singers. The most famous are probably Jean-Luc from Front 242 or yet J3 from à ;GRUMH … but we also worked with Darin Huss (Psyche), Ayria, Claus Larsen (Leaether Strip), Len (Implant), Dominik (amGod), Dominique (Neikka Rpm), Donna Lynch (Ego Likeness), Jan Dewulf (Mildreda) and lots of others. The coolest one was probably working with Jean-Luc on 3 tracks from the « Sense & Nonsense » album because it was like living a dream and giving an extra dimension to our music. I still feel that the track « We Woke Up The Dragon » is the one I’m the most proud of. But having J3 in the studio was also a lot of fun and a good experience for me… he is such a beast when it comes to singing /screaming! Working with Len (Implant) is also a pleasure because we are like 99% on the same wavelenght when it comes to music (but we also share a passion for comic books).
You also design covers, booklets etc, is that coming from personal interest or is it part of your professional life?
As I said, I got interested in computers very early. We had the first computers at school and I could attend lessons (like programming in basic and son on) and then we had our first computer at home. When Seba asked me to join with Side-Line, I was sarting to experiment with design programs like Corel Draw and photoshop at the time and so I eventually worked on the lay-out of the magazine. Later on when we started the label I had gained some experience and more interests in the design of things (doing the first layout for our own tapes and or cd’s) and so I started progressively doing cd covers, booklets, but also the other necessary graphics for the label (alfa-matrix) such as adverts, banners, … I’m a self taught, never attended any graphic lessons though i’m not considering myself as a real designer… Also working in a printing company as a commerical and production employee puts me in contact with lots of graphic designers and I can share experiences and learn from them as well. I’m drowned in a graphic environment actually and that’s a good thing…
You also worked in the past for Side-Line, what was your job exactly?
As I said previously, my work with Side-Line was mainly writing reviews and doing interviews. I also did the layout for some of the first magazines. It was a nice period of my life and it enabled us to attend to several concerts, meet lots of people (including you of course), listening to tons of releases (from various genres),…
What’s your job within Alfa Matrix & Spleen+?
I’m in charge of the graphic side of things; I make sure everything is correct. I Also sometimes design the sleeves (when bands aks for it). I take care for the visual aspects of the label (logos, adverts, banners, flyers, catalogues). I am also responsible for the production of the cd’s and vinyls and also care for the logistics and orders. That’s quite a lot of job that I have to combine (like Seba and Bernard) with a regular job but we manage to do it and we’re rather well organised for lots of things… We started from scratch and the label was very small at the beginning and thus we grew with the label and learned from it (even from our mistakes sometimes). We’re pretty much well organised and rely a lot on technology (we had our first ftp servers back at the time, we have our own e-shop, bandcamp,...) and everyone has it’s own role in the label.
What is giving the most satisfaction: the work you did for Side-Line, Alfa Matrix, Spleen+ or AIBOFORCEN and why?
I would say that the most rewarding thing is undoubtedly doing music because you start from nothing and at the end of the day (sometimes) you created something nice/interesting that will eventually develop into a song… The magical thing is also when you get the vocals (from the numerous vocalist i’ve been working with) and place them and hear they match and help turns your demo track into a real song…
But releasing interesting bands’ music is also rewarding as well as issuing prestigious boxes and packaging… We worked a lot of the Front 242 boxsets as well as the re-issues and in some weeks there will be the massive spleen+ resurgence box we’re proud of (both musically and visually). Seba invested a lot of time and energy but it was worth !
Can you remember if we ever met? When and where was it?
I don’t remmember well but we met several time, mostly at concerts/festivals but I also remmember you as a Dj in some underground electro/goth party… What is nice with this scene is that you can meet people and share the passion we have for music. I have a lot of friends (like Cédric, Stef, Séba,…) and each time I go to a concert i’m sure i will meet a few person I know…
In May you launched a triple CD with AIBOFORCEN, what can you tell me about the feedback so far?
The feedback has been very positive so far. We got a lot of positive reviews and reactions. We get a lot of airplays and are featured in a lot of playlists. It is rewarding because i’ve invested a lot of energy and I tried to do my best. I started recording the first demo during the covid era but it took me a few more months (years?) to finish it. I also took some more time to improve my mixing skills and the overall sound in general. I also worked with some very talented artist/singers from the scene. Besides the usual singers (like Patrice) I met Jan from the German band Norderney who really brought an extra dimension to my tracks. He has such a deep and emotional voice and he also helped me on the music/programming. He was a major influence and help on this release and he contributed a huge part of what « Between Noise & Silence » is. I really hope I can work on some other tracks with him in the future. But working with Don Gordon (from NUMB), Emese (from BLACK NAIL CABARET) or Tina (from Sorrow Stories) was also a pleasure and it helped broaden my musical scope… Last but not least I experienced working with Noemi (from HELALYN FLOWERS) and she adds the perfect extra touch and vibe to the songs !!
What's the idea behind the artwork for this album? Why this kid on the cover with the wires?
I wanted something dark but not too much; this kid is a bit like me struggling with wire and cables but he also has some king of a defying look…
Finding the right artwork for an album you’ve been working for several years is a bit difficult… I didn’t want to reduce the music or the various style featured on the album to one single image but this is the deal… We had a lots of various cover before reaching this one and lots of discussions and tests with Seba, Patrice, Jan… A bit less mysterious than the previous album sleeve…
In the review I pointed out some potential single material, is one of them indeed getting out as a single or gets a clip?
There was a first single prior to the album (Cycle of Life) and we’re planning on releasing another single with our Death In June Cover (i’m working on a new version of Break The Blac Ice) along with a few remixes. There was also a fan-video (but really nice) for the track « Executions » that is another favourite track from the album.
I dropped some names whilst talking about the music: VNV Nation, Front 242, implant and Combichrist. Are you happy with these names?
Yes, I’m happy and it’s always an honor to be compared with some bigger names from the scene that undoubtedly influenced our music. But I hope we also kind of created our own trademark and sound. Also I’m influenced by everything I listen to, from more dark wave and gothic stuff to more experimental things, from industrial to synth pop and this is also an influence for us… Bands like COIL, LEGENDARY PINK DOTS or yet VIRGIN PRUNES are often being played in the studio!
Can I say there are some similarities with what Yves Schelpe does with his own project (also on Alfa Matrix) and yours? Fun fact is that you even asked some artists who also worked with him in the past.
Yes, we have about the same philosophy when it comes to the vocal parts. We both like to widen our musical scope by working with different artist from the scene (and even outside). I would say that Yves is even a lot more open-minded than me and always surprises us with his collaboration. And it’s true that he helped me discover and in the end work with some singers. That’s the case with Mari Kattman or more recently Tina Amos (from SORROW STORIES) I discovered through a remix I did for PSY'AVIAH. I was also introduced to Jan Dieckmann (NORDERNEY) because of a remix I was doing for ELEKTROSTAUB (another project on alfa-matrix working with different singers). I immediately felt that his vocals would perfectly fit on some tracks I was working on at the time. I consider each singer and/or collaboration as an extra value/asset to a track and I’m convinced it brings more variety to the album. The challenge is to make a cohesive result through the music. I like it when it goes in different directions but I also want, in the end, that people recognize the aïboforcen style as well… I also want the album to have a kind of guiding line, not just being a collection of songs…
Never had the idea to work together? Putting it on a Belgian level it would be like Dj Regi and Dj Wout (Silver) finally working together and launching something mega cool!
Well, we did exchanged remix over the years but never worked together…. Why not? Of course our busy scheduled might be an obstacle. There was the Bruderschaft project several years ago and why not create a mega Belgian band featuring different acts from the scene like Implant or Psy Aviah?
I already experienced such collaboration when I worked on a track with NEBULA-H. I had received a very basic demo from Mika and then worked on it on my own. Then Mika did some arrangements and we finally recorded the final version together in his studio. It was a challenge but the result was a good blend of both bands..
My two favourite female singers on the album are Mari Kattman (HELIX), Noemi Aurora (HELALYN FLOWERS), how did you manage to get them on board? How is it to work with them?
I sent several demos to Mari because she had already worked with us on the previous album for two tracks and she has a very distinctive, alluring and emotional voice. She is very very professional and immediately catched the spirit of the track she worked on… The result is the rather catchy opener on the album (the track Dead End). With Noemi, it was a bit different because, with Jan, we wanted to add some female backing vocals to two of the tracks he was singing on. We both thought that Noemi would be the best because of her style and her very powerful and inspired vocals. And the result tuned out way beyond our expectations! She really added an extra dimension to those tracks and she is also a very professional, passionate artist, nice and easy-going person to work with. I’m sure I will again ask her help when I start doing new tracks in the future!! Her first sol album will be out in a few weeks and will be for sure on of the highlights of this year! Do not miss it!!
Covering Death In June is not the first thing that pops up when I listen to your music, from where did that come and was it easy to get a go from Death In June?
We always at lest include one cover on most of our releases. We already covered THE CURE (several times), DEPECHE MODE, Front 242, DAF, THE SISTERS OF MERCY (our infamous cover of the song Alice) among others. DEATH IN JUNE always had a particular place in my music collection and this particular song with its melancholy and sadness was an interesting track to cover. I also immediately felt that Patrice (our main vocalist) could do something gracious and inspired with it. We did it just to relax and have a more slowed down track on the album. Then Seba told me it was one of his favorite from the demo/work in progress I had sent him. Thus I decided to give it a more electro/ ebm twist and that’s the final version featured on the album. A version closer to the original mix will be featured on the Resurgence compilation out soon on Spleen+.
The last track on the second album is acoustic and sung by Jan Dieckmann who does an absolute great job! I want more of this and how did you get him into creating an acoustic track?
The track “Everything” was one of the first track I sent to Jan to do some try out. We worked a lot on this one, changed the structure several times and Jan even helped me with programming some sequences. He also suggested to create a duet with Patrice and it turned out good and efficient. Some people even consider this as one of the highlights of the album. Jan came with the idea that we should maybe do an instrumental or orchestral version of it so that the melodies (that are hidden under tons of electro sequences) would be highlighted… We never really achieved this but then he came suddenly with this acoustic version he had just recorded as a try out…. I thought that I t was great (both delicate and atmospheric ballad) and it would be a good bonus on the album. I wouldn’t do a full album with only acoustic ballads because I’m very much in love with synthetic sounds but I think this is a good way to end the album on a softer tone and sheer beauty…
If you would have to just make a call and invite an artist to work with you on the next album, who would it be and why?
Well, there are several, artists/singer I would like to work with in the future but it will depend on how the new tracks will sound. Generally I start working on a lot of tracks (for the previous album I had around 30 demos) and then after a while I listen to some of these try out and decide which one could become real tracks (I mean with structures and so on). It is only after that, when it’s 60% ready, that I try to figure out who could sing or not… Patrice is the first choice since she is the official singer but when I feel it would be better to find another vocalist, I try to contact one of them and most of all convince them ! 😊
Artists I would like to work with in the future are people like Bill Leeb (FLA) , Edward Ka-spell (LEGENDARY PINK DOTS) or yet Marc (LA MUERTE). Maybe I’m dreaming but who knows….? It has to be a right timing and also a good track before I dare to send my demo to someone… I also worked a lot in the past with other artists from the alfa-matrix roster because it is sometimes more easy to get in contact! I also hope I can keep on working with Jan…
As we are in the modern era we see more and more keyboard warriors and people marking your stuff as SPAM, just to bully you. How do you feel about that? Never had any bad experiences yourself? How can we find out who marks our stuff as SPAM (as Facebook encourages you to do it anonymous)?
I know it is very difficult nowadays to sort between good and bad information, relevant or useless stuff, real content or just spam. The web and social medias are polluted by lots of things and people are also drowned in tons of datas. Promotion is a necessary tool and we have to reinvent ourself everyday to reach the right people with the useful info. But the whole music market is a though and declining one and it’s hard to get the needed visibility… Music is more and more considered as a free or disposable product.. (thus hard to sell). Fortunately I’m not doing music for money so the most important for me is to have fun while doing it and if some people appreciate what you did, it’s a plus and a nice reward! It’s really pleasant when people contact you saying that they like this track or want to comment on the lyrics or so… Once the tracks are released, they can reach anyone with internet in the world and it’s sometimes astonishing to receive messages from all over the world.
A last question for me maybe? To close this interview?
Well thanks a lot for the interview and you involvement in the scene for such many years. The question I have for you is: what are you first souvenirs about the scene (first concert, first record that you played/bought) and why did you think you’re still active nowadays (what was the driving force behind all this passion)?
Answer by Filip Van Muylem: My first gig was David Bowie in 1990 (Sound & Vision tour, a best of evening), first gig in the scene was The Breath of Life and Love Like Blood in Waregem I think there was a third band). Next to Bowie I was a huge fan of The Cure (so bought all their albums, T-shirts etc). But the first band I bought a CD from (the underground scene) was Das Ich with their very first album: Die Propheten (their gig was a blast, what a show, what an act and what an album!), just as Faith & The Muse (sadly my ex ran away with the album where they even used a picture I took from them at a gig in Belgium, so the band can ping me or send me that album as I bought it and afterwards discovered my picture of William) and the very first gig of Dioarama (surprise guest in Ghent). I was also very happy with the first gig and albums that I bought from Whispers In The Shadows. I was also proud to be at the gig where The Mission played like 16 encores (just to make sure Star Industry wouldn't perform that night, hence I'm also a fan of Star Industry and even drove all the way to Doornik to see them together with The Breath of Life on a Friday after a working day). There are some many great ones that came after that, but i just drop the first names. Why am I still active? Honestly: I think after 31/12/2024 I'm done with it all. I'm not happy they way Facebook is handling it all and am getting tired of people who rather destroy things in stead of building up things. The past year Snoozecontrol.be reached out to so much people (at some point more then half a million people) and yes: there is a lot of jealousy and thus destructive feelings towards this succes. I'm getting too old for this or people need to protect me from these people who are not well in their mind. Next to one particular artist who couldn't live with a review I wrote, hence: when it's good it's good and when I dislike the vocals or something else: I just drop it, as again: I'm too old and mostly too tired to lie. i'm a simple guy, didn't go to university and I managed to do things that nobody expected from me, not even my parents. I'm happy with what I achieved, it has been a dream coming true for 34 years as I always wanted to write about things (as a kid I wrote by hand 12 Science Fiction books, never published them, only one intro got published in the 90's). I was always very curious and always felt the urge to write. I'm a writer and a cycler. Sadly I fear the end will be without a Pommelien Thijs interview as the ultimate dream to disclose my carreer, but hey: I tried. If you don't try, don't sent out that application, don't talk to people you get nowhere. And I'm grateful people gave me the chance to do what I did for so many years. So thank you all!
read the album review here:
SNOOZECONTROL - AIBOFORCEN - Between Noise & Silence (alfa matrix)
Check these interviews too:
SNOOZECONTROL - Interview with Seba Dolimont (Side-Line, Alfa Matrix, Spleen+ and ex-aiboforcen)
SNOOZECONTROL - interview with Kilmarth aka Cedric Wattergniaux (former reviewer Side-Line magazine)
SNOOZECONTROL - Stéphane Froidcoeur (Nebula-H, Side-Line, Mixed Media Collage ontwerper, ...)
SNOOZECONTROL - Interview met Bernard Van Isacker (A. Matrix & Side-Line Music Magazine)
