Hiele - Emo Inhaler

Brussels-based composer/artist, Roman Hiele has released a number of idiosyncratic records of varied electronic experimentation and avant composition over the past few years, but this latest for Stroom - his first long player for the label - might be his opus. Joined by vocal collaborators on five of the 14 tracks, there's a marked shift towards melody and songwriting, albeit in a very Stroom-like understanding of the concept. Oddpop, possibly, though 'pop' is a little bit of a stretch when the overall approach is so off-kilter. Both the Belgians and the Dutch have a penchant for this kind of uncanny wonk (obviously Stroom, but also see labels like Bergpolder, Futura Resistenza, Ultra Eczema), and Hiele carries the tradition well, combining jazz-y digressions, DIY pop, the proggy miniatures of Recommended Records and haunted chamber song that conjures its own dreamy liminal zone. Slightly disassociative, a little in-between worlds and strangely addicting - yep, it's another Stroom masterclass. Telling how all these artists seem to save their best work for the label...
 
FFO: Roger 3000, Lyckle de Jong, Francis Plagne, 7FO