Stijn - Euphoric


Year of Release: 2004
Label: Mijn Label
Catalog Number: 07243 578607 2 7
Format: CD
Total Time: 40:47:00

If you describe tucking yourself away in a tiny home studio with tons of analogue equipment and miles of cables as being progressive, then yes this debut by Belgian one-man band Stijn is progressive. To be honest though, his musical offerings have nothing to do with "progressive rock" as such. Being a lover of Prince, Stijn tries to evoke that certain funkyness completely on his own, whereas the power of the New Power Generation and it's purple velvet gnome has to be found in the size of the arrangements, the colour of the rhythms, and, of course, the quality, diversity and uniqueness of the one and only Prince. In certain European dance areas "our" Stijn is already a household name, not in the least because of the culthit "Sexjunkie," which is also present on this debut album. Stijn also mixes several vocal tracks together in order to deliver a fuller arrangement like he does with "Wrong." By using vintage analogue equipment and simple drum computers, the sound is not very refined and rather demo-ish and for sure very eighties. In a time when you can have an unlimited number of tracks on any mixing desk possible, it's as if we go back a couple of decades to the real beginnings of the electronic age, even further back than Yazoo, Depeche Mode or OMD. Also "Ziek" contains that typical pumping rhythm that we already know from the humble beginnings of, say, Donna Summer.

Born and bred in Antwerp, Belgium, Stijn delivers a tongue in cheek track by means of "Wiezeddegij?" which is Antwerp dialect for the question "Who are you?"?? "POMM" is short for "Pussy on my mind" and although the drum computers have your feet move for just a little bit, I'm not at all convinced about the quality to filter through to bigger and better things.

The only song on this album that does include a slightly bigger production is "G. Daddy," where Stijn is backed by the grandfather of Belgian rock Raymond van het Groenewoud who delivers guitar, backing vocals and the immortal Fender Rhodes. The result is already a step in the right direction and proof that the inclusion of an extra set of ears might sometimes be a good thing. What I would like to hear however is for someone else to tackle one of Stijn's songs and make a great arrangement around it. I don't expect Prince being at all interested, but surely someone must be able to add those inevitable horns to the whole, which to me is the only way this music is going to get widely noticed.

Also released by EMI


Tracklisting:
Long Time / Sex Junkie / Wrong / Is It You / Ziek / Euphoric / Goldmine / Wiezeddegij / Pomm / Carrement Gratuit / G. Daddy

Musicians:
Stijn - vocals, all instruments and programming

Guest:

Raymond Van Het Groenewoud - guitar, Fender Rhodes, backing vocals (12)

Discography:
Euphoric (2004)

Genre: Other

Origin BE

Added: June 7th 2004
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website:
Hits: 1608
Language: english

  

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