Read the track listing of Belgica and you might assume that this soundtrack is a compilation featuring 15 different artists from a wide variety of musical genres. In fact, it has been written and produced in its entirety by Belgian experimentalists Soulwax, using virtual bands created purely for this project. Soulwax is actually made up of Belgian brothers Stephen and David Dewaele (AKA dance titans 2manydjs) and Stefaan Van Leuven, and their latest offering accompanies a film set in a nightclub in Ghent which, on this evidence, sounds like quite a wild venue with plenty to recommend it.
The sheer variety of sounds in Soulwax’s world soon becomes apparent on Belgica, as Charlotte’s mellow and soulful electropop “The Best Thing” is swiftly followed by the quiet-loud-quiet-loud grunge of “How Long” by The Shitz and the funky LCD Soundsystem-like “Caoutchone” by Rubber Band. However, while the sounds may shift from one apparently unrelated musical style to another, Belgica never sounds clunky but flows seamlessly from one cracker to another. Particular highlights include the thumping African-flavoured bump and grind of Erasmus’s “Ti Recordi Di Me”, the sleazy funk groove of Aquazul’s “Slippy Fingers” and the hardcore punk of Burning Phlegm’s “Nothing”. However, there isn’t a bum track here at all, and Soulwax’s skilful sleight of hand makes you wish that all of these bands really did exist and had a lot more to offer.
Very few contemporary artists would have the artistic vision, never mind the ability, to create an album of this scope. Belgica has an almost flawless soundtrack that will, no doubt, have many seeking out the celluloid tale of clubland hedonism that it has been created to accompany. But there will assuredly be plenty more who view it as a stand-alone record packed with exciting and lively tunes that keep hitting the spot.
