Backing up releases on the likes of Filth On Acid, Kneaded Pains, Sonaxx and many more, Belgian hard techno stalwart Klaps recently made another emphatic label debut as he became the first artist to feature on Klaudia Gawlas’ Illusion Recordings imprint. Since launching in 2023, the label has quickly become an emerging platform for high-quality underground techno releases, with Gawlas as the talisman behind the first three releases. In 2024, Illusion breaks new ground by welcoming external artists to showcase their work on the label. Klaps provides the first taste of exoteric artistic input to surface on the imprint via ‘This Is What I Do.’ Download/Stream it here: https://link.mzmgmt.com/ILLU004.
Following the release of his latest EP, we’re delighted to welcome Klaps to Undrtone in this interview feature.Â
Thanks for joining us today. Where are you writing to us from, and what have you been up to over the last few weeks?Â
Hi guys! Thank you for having me over. I am writing to you from Belgium, Houthalen, to be exact. Last few weeks, I’ve been having some time off after a busy schedule in 2023. But I will start again next week!
Tell us about your journey into music and some of your local heroes growing up in Belgium.
A little more than 10 years ago, a good friend and I started dj’ingDJ’ing, but like all around. But I also started going to the big Belgian clubs and parties, where I got my love for techno music. Especially when I saw Rebekah and Pfirter perform at Random, a local party with the upcoming underground techno DJs back in the day. And then I participated in one of Belgium’s best contests called DJ Mania, where the guys from FloorFiller picked me up to play at their events, and now we’re here!
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That’s how I met Belgian legends like Marco Bailey, Yves Deruyter, Redhead etc. They have done a lot for the Belgian house and techno scene and are living legends here.
Tell us about your style; it’s different from the rest, which we love. Were or are you into rock music?Â
A few years ago, it was all acid-influenced that I would play. But I got older as well, so my style started to evolve, and now it’s still acid but with more groove so that I can keep you going all night!
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Rock music is something I listen to, yes! But not the heavy metal. It’s more like the bands from my youth like Linkin Park (god bless), Sum41, etc.
What is your biggest goal this year, and how close are you to achieving it?
Let’s put this one in numbers. It’s my first complete year that I will play outside Belgium, as I started working with several agencies at the end of last year. So, I would like to play 90% of my annual shows outside of Belgium and, of course, sometimes in Belgium for my day-one fans!
Your brand ‘Get In Line’ has had some nice lineups and events over the last couple of years; what is next for the party brand, and do you want to expand outside of Belgium?
2024 will focus more on music as well, with a release on the label each month of the year. We are working on international artists as well!Â
For the raves, we would love to expand outside of Belgium. But the brand needs to grow, we know. So that is why we started working with Belgian festivals now as a stage partner, but I can not tell more atm!
What advice do you have for other artists who might want to start their own label or events? What do you suggest doing first?
Stick to your main idea, don’t go with the hype. Create your own true identity! This will make you stand out.
How do you take care of your mental health?
This is a really important matter for me. Last year, I did a collab with a collective called ‘Onbespreekbaar’ in Belgium. This is a collective that brings attention to mental health, especially for the youth. I was the face of the merch with the phrase ‘Harde Tijden, Harde Techno’ or, in English,’ Hard Times, Hard Techno’. Where they raised awareness for mental health. I am lucky to have good mental health, but I have seen some people close to me who could use a good talk or a cuddle because they were not that happy at the time. Sometimes, it’s even worse. So we need to ask our close ones if they are ok almost daily. Just so they know that you’re there for them!
Linking onto mental health, linked heavily to social media - how do you effectively promote yourself as an artist?
As I said, I worked with ‘Harde Tijden, Harde Techno’ to raise awareness. And my friends and fans can always reach out to me!
What is next for you in terms of musical releases and shows you are excited to be playing in 2024?
I will do a one-track release on Get in Line! In March, I was the first artist to release music on Klaudia Gawlas’ Illusion Recordings alongside herself. This was a full EP! More releases are being scheduled, but nothing concrete atm.
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Shows that I am looking forward to are my debut in Switzerland, Nbirii in Germany, and Beats4Love in Ostrava - too many to mention. But most of all, 5 years Rave Rebels in Belgium!
Klaps’ 'This Is What I Do' EP is available to download/stream via Klaudia Gawlas' ILLUSION imprint: https://link.mzmgmt.com/ILLU004.
Klaps