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Interview with
Jinte Deprez and
Maarten Devoldere
from
BALTHAZAR

(16th Seltember 2021)

Interview by Kiran Redden

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Photo – Alexander D’Hiet

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Kiran  
Okay. Cool. All right. Nice to have you. I’m just gonna dig right into it and give you some quick icebreakers and ask you your favorites. favorite track of the week so far?
Maarten
Like anything? 

Kiran
yeah like any song this week
Jinte
Yesterday, I installed my vinyl player and I rediscovered the Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles. That’s the vinyl I have. So that’s my only track I’ve listened to this week.
Maarten
I didn’t listen to any music actually, this week. 
Jinte
We’re trying to clear our minds, you know, like a musical detox.

Kiran  
That’s fair I think after making music for so long, you would want to clear your mind. 
Jinte
Yeah. 

Kiran  
Okay, so maybe this might be a harder question to ask then, favorite album right now? 
Maarten  
I rediscovered Coney Island baby by Lou Reed. 
Jinte
I’m listening to Donda just because it’s Kanye. Yeah, I’m gonna say it’s my favorite record now. But I think it’ll change. 

Kiran  
any stand out favourite tracks on that? 
Jinte
Well, the first track is just a killer, Donda *Laughing* definitely refreshing. It’s too long man. I haven’t even listened to all the songs. It’s a it’s a task 

Kiran  
Fair enough. Favorite artists of all time? 
Jinte
ah these questions *laughing*
Maarten  
I’d say uhhh Bob Dylan. 
Jinte
Mine is also such a cliche answer, you know?

Kiran  
Yeah, I think cliche is fine for all time. Cliches make sense.
Jinte
Yeah? But then, it’s Australia, right? Serge Gainsbourg. You know him? 

Kiran  
No, unfortunately not.
Jinte
Well, I’m gonna promote him.

Kiran  
All right. I won’t bore you with any more icebreakers. It seems like the Ice is already melted. Let’s just talk music.
Jinte
It stresses us out to pick favourites *laughing* 

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Kiran  
Yeah sorry i guess the difference in countries makes that challenging. But let’s talk about the “Sand Castles Tape” EP coming out September 24th. It’s a live documentary and an EP featuring reworks of songs from the amazing previous album “Sand”. It’s also filmed and recorded in a castle. How did you land a castle and how did the idea of, “Oh, we need to go to a castle to film this” come up?
Jinte
A couple of things. I mean, we were in lockdown back then. So we needed a lot of space just for health reasons. You know, we couldn’t cram ourselves into a small space. And we were invited in a way by the castle Lord. 

Kiran  
Oh wow. Was he a big fan?
Jinte
Oh, yes. He was a fan and we went there for coffee once and we said we should do something here and then, you know, this opportunity came. So we used the castle with his blessing.
Maarten  
He was on a holiday. So we had the place to our own. We actually did some work a bit around the castle, we did some course? 
Jinte
Yeah some repairing 
Maarten  
Actually like, you know, so kind of house sitting when he was gone.

Kiran  
That’s a pretty cool place to house sit. Also a pretty interesting location though for an EP. is there any other interesting locations you guys would be looking at in the future?
Jinte
Yeah, yeah Beach houses in Australia. Something like that. we’re tired of home *Laughing*

Kiran  
Yeah, Speaking of “Sand” real quick. I love the themes of waiting, and  the nuances of love, and loss of life. Do you feel like these themes are kind of reworked in “The Sandcastles Tapes”, or have taken on a new meaning with the new versions ? or do they just pretty much stay the same?
Jinte
I think to some extent, some of the lyrics got a broader meaning. But that’s, I mean, in general, when you write a song, you have a specific situation in your head when you’re singing, but it gets broader once you start playing it. But also with the lockdown and such, the waiting themes got a whole different, you know, like a global sentiment. But to be honest, it was the first time that we played the songs live. So it was like, I don’t know, like, the first time we really had to perform them. it was like reliving the album takes or like the, you know, for the first time interpreting the stuff we tried to do on the album.

Kiran  
So did you guys do all your parts separately and send it over from your own homes?
Jinte
We had to. Normally we don’t do that. But this was really a COVID album. In that sense. We just work more solitary, and more through email and such. So it felt special, the sound castle tapes do to humanize it, you know, to like really perform it for the first time in that sense yeah.

Kiran  
Working with a band, was it easier or harder to do it in your own home than in a studio? 
Maarten  
Well yeah, obviously, we knew the ranges of the songs, we made them when we made the record, but I think it was very gratifying to hear them come alive. And if you play together in a room, and you get a different vibe, it’s different than when you each play on your own on top of a track, you know, and I think you influence each other when you play and you do little adjustments because Jinter plays a certain bar different than the bass player is gonna adapt to that. 
Jinte
Yeah, I think the big difference, I mean, the album was made in a producer kind of way. Like we weren’t a classic band, you know, because we weren’t allowed in the same room. So we worked on it in a producer way. And I think the sandcastle tapes was like the album, which was made in a producer style but then played by a band again. I think we are a band and that’s what we are best at. But we had to make an album in a different way, and it’s the interaction between the musicians and such as is very refreshing. I mean, we knew the songs of course, but it was like the first time they came to life. So that’s why we were like smiling. *laughing*. It’s probably a very serious documentary for most people. But for us, we’re like smiling a lot.

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Kiran  
Going back to “Sand” again. “the one who waits” on the cover. I love that Sculpture so much. What was the story Behind choosing it? Because it really draws you in instantly
Maarten  
Well, it was an image we came across on the internet. We had no idea what it was. But, you know, it grabbed our attention immediately and we thought like,  it’s kind of funny at first and then you’re very intrigued by it. Like, what is it? And then we found out that it’s a sculpture by a Dutch artists and then when we had to, you know, start looking for a cover that image popped up in our mind again, because it fit the theme of the waiting and the restlessness perfectly so we contacted the artist and she knew the band and said we could use the image and so yeah, that’s been the story.

Kiran  
Instantly when I saw It, I did not listen to the first song because I was kind of just looking at the album for so long. But Moving away from music a little bit. Let’s talk about traveling in these times. You’re back touring. That must be kind of crazy after COVID and stuff? How does it feel? Is there anything  that you didn’t miss about touring?
Jinte
I hope we’re not there yet. Because I think before COVID we were like spoiled brats and we took everything for granted. Like, we were touring, we were like, “oh man, we have to work so hard”. So we like, rule that out and now super grateful and we won’t complain anymore. 

Kiran  
I mean performing in front of big crowds for so long could take a toll?
Jinte
If we’re touring for a long period of time, you get kind of, you know, in a different state of mind. But it was cool. I mean, the first real festival was in Romania, playing in front of 10,000 people or something. It was visually very disturbing, because you’re not used to it anymore, seeing so many people together. But very, I mean, very liberating, as well. We’ve played a couple of shows, like in COVID circumstances, like sitting audiences in separate bubbles or whatever you call them. it’s, I mean, the moment we played in front of a full crowd, that’s what music and live music is for. It’s just the energy from the crowd and the way your songs start to really, you know, live and such. It’s very, very, very cool and very exciting to do that again. Because it was weird to put out an album and nothing happens, you know? Do you have complaints about anything? *looking at Maarten*
Maarten  
Airports. I still don’t like them.*laughing*. But apart from that not really much to not like about touring.

Kiran  
Anything in particular about airports?
Maarten  
I just, I don’t mind flying, but it’s like waiting in airports and I’m really not into it. 
Jinte
We had an emergency landing. We almost died.*laughing*
Maarten  
That I don’t care about but yeah.
Jinte
I do. 

Kiran  
Oh, that sounds like a pretty big story. 
Jinte
No, it’s not big, but half of us are afraid of flying. And then we had to make an emergency landing the first flight after COVID. So we were like, “fuck this” *laughing* But all’s good, all’s good. 

Kiran  
That’s great though glad you’re all safe. But yeah a lot of New South Wales, which is my state in Australia, we’re in lockdown again. We want to know how we can stop ourselves from going insane? What did you guys do? other than write a great album.   
Maarten  
Lots of people here started bicycling. And we did that as well, at the beginning. 
Jinte
*laughing* We did all the cliches
Maarten  
I started doing yoga, like many people with YouTube, you know, and I still do it. I love it. So yeah, you know, it’s kind of cool that you have to look for new perspectives. 
Jinte
But you’re like very local suddenly. That was a big adjustment. We all bought a house as well. It’s like we never cared about buying a house somewhere. And then suddenly we did it. I don’t know. But your question is what did you do from not going insane? But everybody went insane, of course. Especially the last waves. But to hear that you’re in luck now and again. That would be difficult now. When you’ve had the taste of freedom, I can’t go back anywhere.

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Kiran  
It’s tough. Yeah, we’re watching everyone else go into full crowds and America, Britain, Europe everywhere and we’re just stuck. Sucks. But what can you do? But when borders open up, Aussies can travel the world and whatnot, everything’s back to normal. And Aussies might be looking to go to Belgium. I know that you guys have sort of stated previously, that Belgium isn’t really a go to place sometimes. But what are the do’s and don’ts of visiting? What’s overrated and what’s underrated? 
Maarten  
Well, I think the beer is definitely underestimated. We have a good reputation about it and we deserve it. It’s like the best beer in the world. We have so many variations and stuff.
Jinte
I think if you come to Belgium, coming from Australia, the differences that, I mean, everything is so old here. So just go and sit next to a castle, drink lots of beer and maybe have a local dish. And that’s the best evening you can have I think here. That’s what we do every day. Just live the local life. Cuz I mean, we live in Ghent, it’s nice. It’s like a sort of Disneyland from the Medieval Ages. You can always walk around and see pretty buildings and such. I mean, but it’s a bit cliche. It’s hard for us to promote it. Every time we go to a country just, you know, go along with the locals and do what they do. And I think that’s the best way to discover a country. So call Marteen and he’ll uhh guide you *laughing*

Kiran  
Definitely, *laughing* yeah. All right. we’ll wrap it up here with one more question. If you could perform with any musical artists alive or dead who would it be? and why? 
Maarten  
I always think like I would be intimidated
Jinte
Yeah, that’s true. If you pick an artist you really like, you’re like scared to hell to work with them. Cuz I mean, like, what was your song? Lou Reed? Coney Island? He would be mumbling in the corner like, “Fuck you man.” So… *laughing* we should pick someone who’s like, maybe Prince or something like someone very energetic. Could teach us a move or two

Kiran  
What a great choice
Jinte
Yeah, and I mean, he would be up for a jam wouldn’t he?

Kiran  
Oh, absolutely.
Jinte
Yeah. A lot of people like Bob Dylan. He wouldn’t care. So maybe Prince for me.
Maarten  
Yeah good choice

Kiran  
All right. Cool.  Thank you guys so much for the interview for your time. Hope you have a great day. Is it early in Belgium?
Jinte
No, it’s almost noon. 

Kiran  
Okay, cool. Well, enjoy the rest of your day. 
Jinte
Thank you. 
Maarten  
Thanks for having us.

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