Anniversaries are just great! Well, it has always been a marvellous reason to set up a good party and don’t we all love a good party? I guess Belgian Raoul Belmans thinks quite the same and mind you, he really does have a noteworthy ground to celebrate this year. Since in 2011, it is the twentieth anniversary of his dj career.
Belmans has been a flag-bearer of Belgium’s house scene for quite some time, most notably as a resident of Food – together with Geoffroy Mugwump. He has played and still plays all over the globe, thanks to being such a loveable guy and of course thanks to his superb mixing skills. Furthermore, he managed the first-rate house label Aroma – until it ceased to exist some time ago.
Production-wise, he’s known for being part of the duos Swirl People and Cosy Creatures, together with Dimitri Dewever. But as his releases on for instance We Play House have proven, he’s a skilled solo artist as well.
On the occasion of this twentieth anniversary, Belmans will release four digital EPs which will go under the name of “Porcelain”. This precious material is, as all you culturally educated people know, the symbol of remembering a twenty-year-old event. Moreover, Belmans will do a small tour in his native country (confirmed dates this far are April 16th: Decadance, Ghent; April 22nd: Silo, Leuven; April 30th: Krush, Ostend; May 28th: H20, Pecq) that will be followed by some gigs in Europe, Asia and the U.S.
This “Porcelain EP #1” consists of two tracks that give witness to a certain shift in style compared to previous material of for instance Swirl People. Firstly, they come across as being less sleek, less polished and secondly they overtly refer to 1990s deep house – two characteristics I can only applaud. A beautiful builder is “Didadum” with its subtle conga’s and percussion and catchy melody line. Play it at -4 and it’s suitable for a warm, sexy, laid back set. Play it at +4 and you’ll have the dance floor burning.
“Bodacious!” comes in a Cosy Creatures remix and the track is filled with features that are so typical for Belmans’ and Dewever’s production outfit. The beat is rather simple and steady-going but those synth lines are so damn smart, effective and actually funny too. Really, it makes one dance with a preposterous smile on the face which is actually cute. And the break is one of the most pleasant I’ve heard in months.
This little digital package is a very nice treat that sets the standard for the coming “Porcelain” releases. Lastly, I have to say most sincerely “congratulations” and “thanks” for that splendid career; I’ll add those festivities to my agenda!
Raoul Belmans – “Porcelain EP #1” is out today
Track list:
1. Bodacious! (Cosy Creatures Remix)
2. Didadum