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The latest musical invite by Howlin’ is the Parisian selector Vidal Benjamin with a pure Belgian mix.

We met Vidal in Paris a long time ago through some mutual friends and felt, as they say, an instant clique. Before we knew we were talking about records, Ab sounds and the mysterieus selector from Brussels Jean Claude Maury. When we initially asked Vidal for a mixtape he proposed us to make a mix with only Belgian music… well we couldn’t say no to that, right?

In Vidal’s own words;  This mix came to my mind during the lockdown in Paris. I was thinking of all the wonderful 7 inches that I found in Belgium. Could I put some of them together without any sort of genre barrier, just to let people know how creative the electronic scene in Belgium was in the late eighties and early nineties? Actually, adding different styles to the pot is a true Belgian tradition (think AB sounds, Liaisons Dangereuses…) and explains why the balearic beats were (arguably) a Belgian creation (think of the mysterious J.-C. Maury). So let’s take a sip of Jupiler and listen happily together to my Belgian Zeitgeist kindly hosted by Antwerp based brand Howlin’ (who else could do it frankly?).

Vidal Benjamin is a true musical activist and relentless flea market digger. He’s a DJ at night and a university professor during the day.  He is also the curator of the acclaimed “Discosympathie” compilation, which is dedicated to French Boogie – France’s answer to Disco. Last year he released the dusty-fingered-follow up compilation “Pop Sympathie” which focusses more on the French new wave and synth pop.

But for now, only Belgian sounds with highlight lyrics for the Flemish listeners at 50min in the mix;  A-A-ACIIIIIIIEED

[Pictures by Fred Lahache for Record Magazine]

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