Swirl Power - Interview with Raoul Belmans (Swirl People, Aroma records, Food Club)

If I was to ask you to name something of interest from Leuven, Belgium, the beer lovers among you may say, “the home of Stella Artois, a most delicious beer”! On the other hand, the deep house heads, and perhaps those from Belgium, may say that it’s the home of Aroma Records, one of the country’s finest deep house labels. Started in 1998, Aroma is the baby of oneRaoul Belmans, DJ and producer extraordinaire, a la Belgium!

Raoul, who first started DJing house music for a university radio station back in 1991, has since become a resident at the famous FOOD club in Belgium, as well as a weekly spot at the Lounge Club in Brussels called Food BXL Saturdays (For more info on line ups, mail info@foodbooking.be). And even if you are not from Belgium, you may have seen play at your local deep house night such as Space@Bar Rhumba, London; Subculture@Sub Club, Glasgow; Discotonic@The Kitchen, Dublin; Ultragrove@ La Belle Angele, Chemistry, Amsterdam; Wild Pitch Club, Frankfurt, and as for Paris, you may well have seen him at such places as Queen, the Rex Club, La Fabrique and Open House. Not only that, but Raoul has also played at a range of the dance festivals over the world.

And even if you never managed to catch him, chances are his name along with that of Dimitri Dewever, is one of your records on such labels as, Tronsicloe, Solemuisc, Panhandle, Seasons, Amentimusic, Wally s Groove World, Music for Freaks, Fast Forward, Lowdown music, among others. Now, their debut album, Hi Mom Let s Dance , released a couple of months ago on Glaswegian label Solemusic, is a testament to their dedication to quality house music.

Speaking to Raoul at this year s WMC, I managed to grab a few minutes of his time and see what keeps him grooving.

DHN: Hi Raoul, thanks for talking to DHN, how have you been finding Miami so far?

Raoul Belmans: I just arrived yesterday, so I don t know. I have to, how you call it, acclimatize!

DHN: Have you been busy up to now doing much playing or producing?

RB: I have been playing quite a lot lately, Glasgow at the Sub Club, played The Kitchen, Dublin and here.
My album, on Solemuisc, the Swirl People album, actually our album, I must say, because I am not alone, with Dimitri Dewever. It just came out on Solemusic and we are expecting a new single from that. I have a new single on my own label Aroma, called Keep Running .

DHN: What can we expect from that?

RB: It sounds really West Coast actually, it sounds very American. It s kind of like a seasons recording, a bit funky, deep shit, you know. I have a few more records coming out on the sub label from Doubledown recordings, and Lowdown. It s all a bit of a mess the moment, when the records come out.

DHN: Sounds like you need your own personal assistant?

RB: Yeah, I really need one!

DHN: Is there anybody here, that you are looking forward to seeing or meeting? Have you got a favourite DJ or producer?

RB: Not really, there are already a few people I know that I already like and want to see, I look forward to seeing Mark Farina again, of course! I like to see him play a lot. He s really funky. Looking forward to meeting everybody actually, not just one.

DHN: What, would you say, are your influences?

RB: A lot of different things actually. I listen to hip-hop records, I like Angie Stone, stuff like that. Soulful stuff, black music. I ve been listening to all sorts of stuff when I was little.

DHN: How did you first get into dance music?

RB: Well as you maybe know in Belgium. Dance music started off really quick, we had new beats in the beginning of the 90 s. After that, there was nice house music movement growing up at the beginning of the 90 s, so I got into it, just like that. It was a natural thing. I started DJing in 1991, and started producing in 96.

DHN: 11 years....

RB: Yeah, wow, that s long!

DHN: Has it paid off?

RB: Yes, definitely.

DHN: When you start on a song yourself, do you have an idea of how it should sound or do you just like to see what happens?

RB: Yeah - see what happens. I always have an idea of course, a little bit. Mostly when you start somewhere, it ends up to being something completely different. Just go along you know.

DHN: Have you brought much of your new stuff with you?

RB: Keep Running on Aroma from Swirl People, also an EP coming out in a few weeks on a new label Amenti Music from Olivier Desmet, called The Chicken Tandoori EP , a new one on Lowdown, the sub label from Doubledown recordings, our album which just came out on Solemusic, Hi Mom, Let s Dance . We had a remix done by JT Donaldson, Fears , for our second single on the album.

DHN: Have you any advice to people who may be interested in producing or in music generally?

RB: I think it s hard to tell people to do this or that, just go for it, for DJing you have to practise a lot of course, you can t be a DJ in one day, so just practice, practice, get as much exposure as you can, send CDs to everybody!!!

If you haven t checked Swirl People out already, then may I suggest you get on it! Already a favourite of Derrick Carter, their latest release has received rave reviews from IDJ, Muzik and DJ Magazine. This is one record that has not left our record bag this summer, and if you don t believe the hype...just check out some the upcoming releases!

Aine G

The Swirl People is available for remix work, contact swirlpeople@hotmail.com

www.swirlpeople.com
www.amentimuisc.com
info@foodbookings.com

Upcoming releases

* Swirl People - Say Ooh! (w/ Harris Grooves remix) - Tronicsole (UK) (2002)
* Swirl People - Remixed Bits 2 (w/ Mazi + Dj Sneak remixes) - Aroma (2002)
* Swirl People - Fears (w/ Jonene & Touchdown remix) - Tronicsole (UK) (May 2002)
* Swirl People - Dubco Trip (Marino Berardi remix) - Wally s Groove World (2002)
* Swirl Peepz - Chicken Tandoori EP - Amentimusic (US) (2002)
* Swirl People - Clear Choice EP - Lowdown Music (US) (2002)

Complete discography (updated 23th of april 2002)

1. Cozy Creatures - Wanna Sing Remixes (w/ Derrick Carter remix) - Push & Pull (2002)
2. Swirl People - Keep Running - Aroma (Be) (2002)
3. Swirl People - Hi Mom, Let s Dance (Album) - Solemusic (UK) (2002)
4. Swirl People - Future Signs (w/ Inland Knights remix) - Tronicsole (UK) (2001)
5. Tiger Sprouts - Steak Out - Music For Freaks (UK) (2001)
6. Different Noodles - Dish #2 - Wally s Groove World (Be) (2001)
7. Swirl Peepz - Hang On - Fast Forward (Fr) (2001)
8. Swirl People - We Are - Seasons recordings (US) (2001)
9. Swirl People - Remixed Bits (w/ Inland Knights + Shady Agents remixes) - Aroma (2001)
10. Cozy Creatures - How About Some Music? (w/ Jori Hulkkonen remix) - Push & Pull (Nl) (2001)
11. Cozy Creatures - Wanna Sing - Push & Pull (2000)
12. Swirl People - Reflex Success EP - Panhandle (US) (2000)
13. Swirl People - EP 2 - Tronicsole (2000)
14. Cozy Creatures - Lonely Nights (w/ Undercover Agency + Jori Hulkkonen remixes) - Push & Pull (2000)
15. Different Noodles - Dish #1 - Wally s Groove World (2000)
16. Swirl People - EP 1 Between Cities - Tronicsole (2000)
17. Swirl People - Save The People - Aroma (1999)
18. Cozy Creatures - Latin Pussy / Lonely Nights - Push & Pull (1999)
19. Swirl People - Watcha Gonna Do? - Aroma (1999)
20. Cozy Creatures - Espionage (w/ JT Donaldson + Jori Hulkkonen remixes) - Push & Pull (1999)
21. Swirl People - Nutz EP - Wally s Groove World (1999)
22. Swirl People - Eating All Night - Aroma (1999)
23. Cozy Creatures - Stargazer (Album) - Push & Pull (1998)
24. Cozy Creatures - Flirting Around - Push & Pull (1998)
25. Toothpick - Wonderful Nourishment - Global Cuts (Be) (1998)
26. Swirl People - Snack Break EP - Wally s Groove World (1998)
27. Toothpick - Frisky Business EP - Global Cuts (1997)
28. Chilly Deep - Jelly Beans - Marguerite (Be) (1997)
29. Toothpick - Eat Your Greens - Global Cuts (1997)
30. Swirl People - Noodles In Space - Wally s Groove World (1997)
31. Fortune Cookies - Green Lemon EP - Marguerite (1997)
32. Toothpick - Catch The Pigeon - Generations (1996)
33. Kitchen Crew - Passion EP - Marguerite (1996)
34. Fortune Cookies - Funky Biscuits EP- Marguerite (1996)
35. Fortune Cookies - Wise Up EP- Marguerite (1996)

Remixes

1. Yann Fontaine - ? (Swirl Peepz remix) - Squareroom recordings (US) (2002)
2. Alexander East - Tears (Swirl Peepz remix) - Simple Soul (US) (2002)
3. Jonene & Touchdown - Are U Sure? (Swirl People R sure dub) - Aroma (Be) (2002)
4. Fred Everything presents Afro Love Project - One Love (Swirl People remix) - Tronicsole (UK) (2000)
5. New York Thunder – My Definition (Food mixture) - Aroma (2000)
6. Wizards of Ooze - Hi Fi Remixed (Swirl People Stereo mix + Mono dub) - Wha? Roots (Be) (2000)
7. Arsenal - Release (Swirl People tension dub) - Cafe del Mar (Sp) (2000)
8. Wam Kidz - CB s Groove (Cozy Creatures rework) - Shaboom! (UK) (2000)
9. Skulturisme - Charlie s (Swirl People mix) - Kroquis Disques (Be) (2000)
10. Arsenal - Release (Swirl People tension dub) - Wally s Groove World (Be) (1999)
11. Koenie & Frederik Vs. Spanner - No Romance (Swirl People remix) - Wally s Groove World (1999)
12. J.A.W.S. (Jori Hulkkonen) - Polar Pimp (Kempele) - Push & Pull (Nl) (1999)
13. Wam Kidz - CB s Groove (Cozy Creatures rework) - After Midnight (Nl) (1999)
14. TDN (Tom De Neef) - Feel The Groove (Cozy Creatures recreation) - Nightfever (Nl) (1999)
15. Soulsearcher - Can t Get Enough (Swirl People rub-a-dubco mix) - Legato (Be) (1999)