- Meakusma, the Eupen-based collective and record label, returned to Brussels in February for their annual Goethe Institut-sponsored event. For the second year running, the program divided itself between Recyclart, a venue in a disused train station, and Les Brigittines, a former chapel now used as a centre for theatre and contemporary dance. Now two days instead of one, the festival demonstrated Meakusma's lateral approach to event programming, bringing together such varied acts as Senegalese drum troupe Jeri Jeri, London artist and cassette DJ Jackson Bailey's Tapes project, dub techno pioneers Porter Ricks and twisted disco newcomer Lena Willikens.
Mark Ernestus was on warm-up DJ duties on the first night, soundtracking Les Brigittines as visitors slowly situated themselves amongst the venue's dimly lit brick walls, towering wooden suspension beams and adjoining café. When the seven members of Jeri Jeri eventually took to the stage, their exuberant live show had audience members enthralled. The group's furious Sabar polyrhythmic drumming, animated live presence and consistent interaction with the crowd marked a clear highlight of the weekend.
Much of Recyclart's décor has been salvaged from the train station from which it has been appropriated: three snaking ticket booths make up the bar, their overhead numbers now functioning as part of the room's minimal lighting system. Düsseldorf native and Kreidler member Detlef Weinrich (DJing as Tolouse Low Trax) opened the venue on day two with a divisive warm-up set. His brand of experimental techno and abstract house clearly challenged pockets of the audience, yet adhered to Meakusma's tentative musical ethos, providing a fine example of groove construction through tension and experimentation. Ekoclef—the collaboration of Bristol producers Ekoplekz and Bass Clef—followed with the first in a series of three live performances. A chaotic beginning saw a renewed shift in energy on the dance floor, though the duo eventually yielded to the twisted grooves and eccentric rhythms for which they are individually known best. The result was an hour-long mix of analogue abstraction that, like their 2011 collaborative effort Tapeswap, was at times distinctly abrasive, at others deeply focused on melodic development.
Porter Ricks' dub techno is nuanced in a way that can make it fall flat in the live arena. Fortunately, their reverb-drenched sound worked well at Recyclart. Mix Mup showed that he remains a dance floor force to be reckoned with: he returned to the event for the second year running, this time without regular collaborator Kassem Mosse. If anyone was concerned about whether he could go it alone, such thoughts were quickly shelved, with the frenzied crowd response signaling a welcome return.
The most revelatory performance of the weekend came from Cologne-based DJ and Comémé contributor Lena Willikens. The booker and resident for Düsseldorf club Salon Des Amateurs, Willikens demonstrated her ability as a headlining performer to an unsuspecting audience. Her distinctive blend of weirdo house, techno and disco-not-disco rounded off the weekend on a triumphant note that signaled not only the overall success of the event, but also her position as a figure to watch closely.
While there were some logistical issues over the course of the weekend that could be improved (putting three live acts back-to-back at a club night will undeniably affect rhythmic flow to a certain degree), this year's edition once again marked the importance of Meakusma not only for Brussels and Belgium, but also for Europe's wider avant-garde musical landscape.