Maxim Meyer-Horn

9 Mar 2024
Music

Introducing: Porcelain Id, Antwerp’s Most Heartfelt Songwriter and Their Debut Album ‘Bibi:1′

Music that makes you think. It seems to be becoming a rarity in today’s musical landscape. Enter Porcelain Id: the Antwerp-based singer-songwriter is causing surprise everywhere with their debut album ‘Bibi:1’. The intimate, haunting productions put the raw talent of the rising star more to the fore than ever and ensure that you will remember this musical fever dream forever. Inspired by their music, we asked Porcelain Id some questions about their wonderful album and how their journey has led them to where they are now.

In the midst of your hectic schedule surrounding the release of your debut album, how do you find moments of tranquility?

Sex-positivity, curating playlists with close friends, and spending quality time with my child.

Your first album serves as your initial calling card. Can you share the genesis of this journey?

The inception traces back to the creation of “Habibi (R U ALONE?)”. Exhausted after being awake for 24 hours, I returned home to the student housing shared with Marie-Fleur, the mother of our child. In a daze, I sat in the shared living room, chopping an undisclosed sample, recording acoustic guitar with a laptop mic—a raw and unhealthy process.

Your album follows an EP, marking a stylistic shift. How did the album-making experience differ?

Bibi:1, departing from Reprise, signifies a significant stylistic shift. While Reprise embraced autobiographical guitar work with a retro touch, BIBI:1 breaks away from that approach. The disintegration created a shadowy atmosphere devoid of clarity. The collaboration with Youniss played a pivotal role in reshaping the demos later on.

How did you cross paths with Youniss for the album collaboration?

We met through Adel Setta, a dear friend, artist, and photographer. Adel invited me to what turned out to be Youniss’ very first live show with Tim Caramin on drums. Encouraged by a friend of Adel’s—and terribly stoned—I asked Youniss if I could play some songs after their set… a scenario you just can’t make up…

If you had to pick a song on the album closest to your heart, which one would it be and why?

When writing “Low Poly”. It held a special place as it encapsulates the most intense heartbreak I’ve experienced in years. I’ve written many homages to many people, including the mother of my child. Still, there is something utterly devastating about “Low Poly”, that moves beyond all these borders.

The album artwork features you on a horse in Antwerp’s theater square. What inspired this concept?

“Brilliant” is an homage to the skater kids at the Theaterplein in Antwerp. The “Wild Horses of the City” I nicknamed them in a poem at some point. On the other hand, you have the saying “Falling off your high horse”. Having to return back to my hometown after the summer of 2021, after living in Antwerp—less a fall from grace, and more of a reckoning with life’s responsibilities.

For the visual aspect, you worked a lot with Maurice Luijten, using a blurry filter. Is there more to that stylistic choice? 

The visuals emerged from my collaboration with visual artist and stylist Charlotte Foley as Creative Director and Maurice Luijten as editor, with Max Van Raamsdonk as the cameraman, all sharing co-directing responsibilities. Inspired by ordinary and unconventional themes, the project reflects the essence of my visual language…

The distinctive use of “blur” or any distortion in the visuals was practical or editing. It can be traced back to specific inspiration, drawing insights from the video essay “Analysis of Andrei Tarkovsky’s ‘Ivan’s Childhood’” and Charlotte’s master film. This concept materialized in the idea of a camera navigating through the mist, following Charlotte’s ‘tracing paper’ technique, interspersed with images of those spaces. The blur is like “forget me nots”, capturing the enduring essence of persistent longing. At times unsettling; a sentiment that permeates the entire record.

Porcelain Id with their band

You translated your music into live versions with a supporting band for upcoming shows. How was that process?

A challenging journey shaped by closed tryouts with the production team, label, bookers, friends, and fellow musicians. Achieving the impossible through kindness and hard work.

What can we hope for you in 2024?

Sold-out shows! Sold-out shows! Sold-out shows!

Porcelain Id’s debut album ‘Bibi:1’ is out on all platforms. On 21 April, Porcelain Id will perform at the Ancienne Belgique.

Pictures by Adel Setta

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