“People don’t know Brussels really well. They see it as the Washington D.C. of Europe,” says Lefto Early Bird, referring to the city’s European Union institutions. “There are two different worlds. You have the political side and then you have this scene at the crossroads of everywhere.” He notes that Brussels is only one hour away from Paris, and two hours from both London and Amsterdam. Those disparate, yet locally rooted influences collide at Horst Festival, which Lefto Early Bird says “has always had an ear to the streets.” And even though other European hubs, like Berlin, London, or Paris, have more infrastructure and investment in their dance community, a DIY and collaborative ethos is alive and well in Belgium.
Before The FADER heads out to Horst next week, we caught up with some of Belgium’s finest sonic architects who will be playing at the festival this year, to learn more about the local scene and the importance of Horst in helping grow and strengthen Belgium’s electronic music community.
