Hej Balthazar!

Det går bra för det belgiska bandet Balthazar just nu. Med sin egensinniga och melodiösa indiepop har det gått upp som listettor i hemlandet, och håller just nu på att ta över en större och större publik ute i Europa. På söndag har det blivit vår tur att gästas av bandet då de kommer till Pusterviks scen. Naturligtvis slog vi en pling till Jinte Deprez, medlem i bandet.

2012-10-31 11:39 2012-10-31 11:39
Publicerad Senast uppdaterad

Foto: Athos Burez

Hello, how are you?

– Very good, thanks.

For those who don´t know, who are Balthazar?

– Balthazar are a Belgian group from Ghent, a medieval city in Flanders. We started off a couple of years ago and our debut album was released in Europe one year ago. We're kind of an indie pop band, but that's not really narrowed down. Let's say pop noir, if that's an indication.

So what have you guys been up to lately?

– We've been touring a lot, but in the meantime we made a new album.

Yeah, I heard you just released a new album. In what way is it different from the last record?

– The first one was a statement, we tried to have a very strictly arranged album, in a way it was quite empty and subtle, but with nice drums and bass in it. Danceable without being to much of a dance band, storytelling without whining. This album is way more cinematic, we tried to make the perfect soundtrack for the stories we're telling on this album. It's still very subtle, but there's a lot of tension in it.

So tell me, how has the tour been so far?

– The big leg of the tour still has to start off, but it's been great so far. Playing in London and actually having a crowd isn't easy, so we were happy we could pull that one off. We did a crazy amount of promo in Europe for our new album and the reaction has been quite overwhelming, so we're very much looking forward to playing all these new songs live. This reminds me, two weeks ago, we played in Los Angeles and we met up with Immanu El, a band from Gothenburg, great guys. If that's an indication for Gothenburg, it's going to be a lovely evening.

Yeah, they are nice guys!

What's the Belgian indie scene like?

– There's a lot going on, with nice bands. The Belgian scene is at its best with bands who are typically Belgian, in a way that means a mix of different cultures. Belgium is tiny, but it's the centre of Europe, so we swallow all that is nice from other cultures. For music, this means no one is trying to be the next rock'n'roll band, or the next French singer. We like to take elements from genres and make interesting mixes. Bands like dEUS are a great example of how crazy it can get.

What type of music do you prefer listening to?

– We like the Oldies, like Dylan and Cohen, but also Velvet underground and Serge Gainsbourg. We love how those records sound, they're so subtle and characteristic. Nowadays, too many records sound so overdone and lack the honesty those oldies had. If you didn't have charisma back then, there was no way you could camouflage it. That kind of honesty we love. Anyway, there are some temporarily artist who share this love, like a Danger Mouse. We still love Gorillaz and the Whitest Boy Alive for example.

Ok, so my last question. If you could have dinner with five people, dead or alive, what five would you choose?

– Well, there would be Bob Dylan and Marilyn Monroe of course, one for the tunes, one for the feminine touch. Then Jesus would be invited to bring the bread and wine (and to double it if necessary). Then a random homeless person, cause we have to do a good deed. And in the end, the last person would probably be a good friend of mine, just to feel a bit more at ease around these other guys and girl.

Anna Wester

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