City streets left abandoned, desolate factories and traffic lights aimlessly switching from red to green without a single car in sight to see them change. These are just some of the haunting images that characterize what the post-industrial city of La Louviere looks like.
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This seems a daunting context to live in, yet there is a certain atmosphere that you can’t find in any other city. Let’s take Vhyce as an example. This Portuguese-Italian breed steadily worked his way up to a noteworthy musical profile. Inspired by the desolation in these suburbs, or by the boredom, he grew into a self-taught producer. Musically, Vhyce is greatly influenced by the lineage of nineties RNB from the emergence of soul music onwards, which ultimately results in his signature house sounds. We had the chance to talk with Vhyce about his latest joints on Monaberry and Pets.
Hey Vhyce – hope all is well these days?
Hey yes, all good here. Hope you’re well too. I’m afraid nothing really crazy happened to me recently. I just released an EP and people seem to like it so that’s the craziest thing at the moment.
And how did you spend your New Year’s Eve?
I was booked to play at a private party in Brussels. Disco classics all night long (but not that long because of current restrictions). Then joined some friends, ate Lebanese food and listened to gabber. Cool New Year’s Eve.
What would you probably be doing in life if it weren’t creating and playing music?
If I could choose anything the thing I would love to do almost as much as making music is working somewhere in the making of movies or documentaries
Your new release with a wonderful arty cover has just been released on Monaberry. Tell us all about it?
Love the cover! That’s one of my most club-oriented EP yet I think. Almost no vocals which is something I don’t do often. I feel like the more clubs are closed the more I want to make club music. And it’s coming with a cosmic remix from Dodi Palese. Still very soon to say but I’m very happy with people reactions and messages.
And how did you end up on this great label? Have you ever met the label heads Super Flu? How did this process of collaboration start?
No unfortunately I never had the chance of meeting Super Flu. I love the label and had three tracks that I thought could have a place on the label. So I reached out to the A&R mail address and they got back to me saying they were up to release those three tracks as an EP.
What is the importance of the connections you make within the scene?
Although I reached Monaberry via their A&R mail address there are a lot of people I’ve connected with on socials. I feel like it’s way easier to talk to people. That’s how I got contact with Pets recording for example. Don’t hesitate to thank people for supporting your music in any way and be supportive if people are reaching out to you. If people send you tracks or demos and you have a bit of time give them feedback (if that’s what they want).
Help people when you can and don’t do it to make connections but just to be a nice human being.
Where are you living right now and can you shortly describe the local scene and perhaps how it’s changing?
I live in La Louvière and there’s no electronic local scene. But Belgium is a really small country so all Belgium is a local scene. Loads of great new artists, new labels, new venues, new radios…
I feel like Belgian electronic scene is getting more and more diverse and that’s very exiting to see.
What are some of your favourite hang out places in town our readers should know about? And why are their your favourites?
Not much to do in La Louvière but my favourite place to have a drink is the 33 tours. Used to play there.
What’s up next for Vhyce?
I’ve got a new remix for Catz N Dogz coming January 21 on their label Pets recordings. Planning wise some more remixes coming for At Dawn, PYN and I have two new EPs coming early 22 but still a bit soon to announce.