Press by Luminous Dash :
One of the acts that truly made our hearts race and not just a little was Bothlane. When we hear “wall of sound,” we usually think of rock or metal bands, but what Liège-based drummer Alain Deval does with his compact sound walls is light-years away from that. Raw, powerful, and uncompromising, armed with modular synths and a drum kit, he delivered an urban underground techno set with deep bass and a punk attitude. Techno and punk. Yes, really. We saw it, and we felt it. Unusual and incredibly impressive, in our eyes. A fiercely solid programming foundation drives his work, snapping, cracking, squealing, slamming, beeping… from every corner. But what makes it truly unique is that Deval performs everything live. And not just in any way. Bold, daring words rarely used to describe drumming yet this man pushes the limits of his instruments. Scorching, deep bass made the synthetic fibers of our skin vibrate, though we barely even noticed, already swept away by the relentless beats he unleashed. His electronic module sat beside him not on a small table, but mounted upright on a stand, like a little electrical box where he twisted knobs or seemed on the verge of cutting the right wire to trigger the next sonic explosion. Saturated samples shot across the room while Mr. Deval coaxed the ultimate continuous “untz” from his drums. Jumping around to raw punk-techno, sometimes as if dragged out of a grimy underground club, sometimes catapulted from the Atari era straight into today, yet still perfectly suited to shake hipster clubs for an all-night rave. The discovery of the evening, maybe even of the year !
ENG
"Project 'Bass_Techno_Drums'" by Belgian musician Alain Deval. Afterstudying music in Antwerp, Alain Deval became active on the international scene, participating in numerous projects. After several years as a sideman, he decided to launch his solo project: Bothlane. Influenced by the vibrant underground scenes of London and Berlin, he continues to innovate by establishing a strong connection between the acoustic world of drummingand the electronic universe of modular synthesizers.
His work embodies the very essence of club music: a relentless beat and apassion for sound that resonates through every performance, captivating diverse audiences. Each live show is characterized by raw energy andabundant creativity, exploring mesmerizing rhythms and deep bass musicsounds.
"Stellar Hijinks," Bothlane's debut album, will be released on November 29,2024. It marks a key milestone in the artist's evolution. The nine tracks offer apowerful fusion of techno, modular synthesizers, and drum rhythms, creating an immersive and intense club experience. Each track delves into the depthsof sound and unleashes raw energy, crafted for the dancefloor.
FR
Projet « Bass_Techno_Drums » du musicien belge Alain Deval. Après avoir étudié la musique à Anvers Alain Deval est actif sur la scène international dans de nombreux projets. Après quelques années en tant que side man il décide de lancer son projet solo : Bothlane.
Influencé par l’effervescence des scènes underground anglaise et berlinoise, il continue d’innover en établissant un lien puissant entre le monde acoustique de la batterie et l’univers électronique du synthétiseur modulaire.
Son travail incarne l’essence même de la musique de club : un battement incessant et une passion pour le son qui résonne à travers chaque performance, captivant des publics variés. Chaque live se distingue par une énergie brute et une créativité foisonnante, explorant des rythmes envoûtants et des sonorités profondes de la bassmusic.
Stellar Hijinks," premier album de Bothlane, sortira le 29 novembre 2024. Ilmarque une étape clé dans l'évolution de l'artiste. Les 9 titres offrent une fusion percutante de techno, synthés modulaires et rythmes de batterie, créant une expérience club immersive et intense. Chaque morceau explore les profondeurs du son et libère une énergie brute, taillée pour le dancefloor.