Baleine 3000 return with album on Vlek
The Brussels label will release an album by the Japanese-Belgian-French connection.
The meteoric rise of leftfield Belgian sounds is as strong as ever at the moment, with Meakusma just revealing an album by Charly Schöppner and Sascha Demand’s newfangled Giraffe project is on the way. It follows news of a self-released album by Ssaliva (aka Cupp Cave), and a fresh Different Fountains 7″ – we salute you Horse McGyver. Baleine 3000, however, is a three piece group made up of French DJ Afrojaws (real name Jef Ablézot), Japan’s Jun Kamoda – who recently released a 12″ on Mister Saturday Night – and Belgian production head Lawrence Le Doux. The group are set to release a seven-track LP on Vlek called The Nap which signals their first transmission in six years following LP releases in 2009 and 2010.
It’s the latter, Lawrence Le Doux, that provides the the trio with the Vlek connection for this new Baleine 3000 album, thanks to previous EPs on the label before; 2014’s Terrestre 12″ a particular highlight. The Nap, due for a release in July, provides the modest Brussels operation with a second release of 2016 following the gnarly punk and noise fusion of Tav Exotic’s Biocosmos 12″ arriving after last year’s Aymeric de Tapol and Sagat records. Keeping it boutique, Vlek have revealed Dimitri Runkkari’s sleeve design was made using an analogue typewriter in addition to “hand-carved vinyl art” by Jeff Ablezot found on the record’s B-side.
Vlek will release The Nap by Baleine 3000 on July 29
Tracklisting:
1. Gonna Rain
2. The Nap
3. Fried Oyster
4. Europ
5. Bird Call
6. Neon
7. Heroica (Ambiant mix)
Vlek on Juno