This week's blog post sees the return of the Grounding Sounds series, a blog post format in which an artist or contributor selects records from their collection which shaped their own creative output or their music taste. In this one, we welcome Belgian musician and composer Julien Hauspie.

Regular readers of this blog will know that one of my biggest joys when it comes to music, is collecting records. So this blog post series is always fascinating, to take a peek into what shaped the artists I work with - and I was particularly looking forward to seeing what was on Julien's list, after releasing his recent album 'A Distant Familiar'. As always, there are some records that I know and love, some that I don't and one or two surprises.

If you enjoyed Julien's new album, then this collection gives you a window into his artistic journey, as he shares a dozen of his greatest influences.

And if you've not yet heard 'A Distant Familiar'? Well this list gives you a starting point - and perhaps after a glance at this set, you may be curious to give it a listen... there's a link at the bottom of the post where you can explore it further.

Julien sent me a few images from his studio and from road trips to France - the cover of this blog post seemed an appropriate fit. The Grounding Series in many ways aligns to the famous 'Late Night Tales' or 'Back To Mine' series and so this beautiful evening photo seemed a good way to set the scene.

A WORD FROM JULIEN HAUSPIE:

"This is a list of records that have made a lasting impact on me and have served as a sort of anchor point throughout my life. Some of these I discovered at an early age, others more recent. I’d like to think that all these records have influenced my own output in some way, direct or indirect. Listed chronologically by year of release."

TALK TALK
SPIRIT OF EDEN
1988

Like most people, I initially only knew Talk Talk from their hits like “Life's What You Make It”. When stumbling upon this album while doing some vinyl digging, I took Spirit of Eden home and let it play without really knowing what to expect. What followed was me being in total awe of what I was hearing. It sounded nothing like the version of the band I thought I knew.

This is such a delicate and dynamic record. Mark Hollis’ voice feels incredibly fragile throughout, at times almost reduced into a whisper, while each track takes its time to unravel its story. With every listen, it keeps surprising me again and again. Knowing how divisive it must have been at the time it was released because of how radically it departed from the band’s earlier sound makes me appreciate it even more. There’s something very inspiring about artists being willing to subvert expectations in pursuit of something more honest and uncompromising.

Favourite track: The Rainbow

THE VERVE
A STORM IN HEAVEN
1993

For me, this is the perfect shoegaze album. The first struck chord in “Star Sail” immediately sets the tone for the album. Nick McCabe's guitar work on this record is sublime, ranging from shimmering cleans to roaring distortion, dissolving into haze and feedback while Richard Ashcroft sounds like he is drifting somewhere inside the storm rather than standing in front of it.

What really stands out for me is how dynamic it sounds, it can switch from quiet to loud, to quiet again in an instant. Makes it feel like the tracks are breathing.

Favourite track: Already There

CYNIC
FOCUS
1993

When hearing Focus for the first time, it sounded almost impossible. Death Metal, Jazz fusion, Ambient textures, robotic vocoders, spiritual concepts, all in one record. Decades later, it still sounds far ahead of its time. I love it for the fact that it dared to be different from anything that was out there, and this album kind of served as a gateway into other types of experimental music for me.

Favourite track: Textures

BOWERY ELECTRIC
BEAT
1996

I discovered this record through the 2002 film “The Mothman Prophecies” in which the track “Under The Sun” was used and is one of my favorite thriller movies of all time. Beat can feel dark, hypnotic, and even meditative at the same time. There’s a constant driving motion throughout the album, driven by rhythms that feel almost mechanical underneath layers of keyboard haze and guitar textures. Listen to it with your eyes closed!

Favourite track: Fear Of Flying

PROEM
NEGATIV
2001

Negativ is probably my favorite IDM record. It sounds beautifully unstable with its fractured percussion, degraded synth textures, and bittersweet melodies that remain very warm and human underneath all the decay. It’s one of those albums I just keep revisiting, though his follow-up “Socially Inept” is a close second for me.

If only this was available on vinyl, it deserves to be!

Favourite track: Long Distance Tiara

BOARDS OF CANADA
THE CAMPFIRE HEADPHASE
2005

What’s more to say about Boards of Canada? I still remember where I was when hearing them for the first time. The track “Chromakey Dreamcoat” was my introduction to them and it completely shifted my perspective on how guitars and electronic music could coexist. Since discovering that record, I’ve done many deep dives in their catalogue and studio equipment, and I can safely say they’re the sole reason I bought an Akai reel-to-reel tape deck for my studio. It remains one of the most immersive records I’ve ever heard. “Dayvan Cowboy” tops it off with its cinematic feel and sounds like it belongs in the credit roll of a movie.

Favourite track: Dayvan Cowboy

MICHAEL GIACCHINO
LOST SEASON 1 SOUNDTRACK
2006

Before I understood anything about orchestration or leitmotifs, this soundtrack had already embedded itself deep in my brain. I still remember waiting impatiently for each season’s soundtrack to drop, because listening to it felt like stepping back into the world of Lost all over again, even with my eyes closed. What made Giacchino’s work so powerful to me was how inseparable it is from the identity of the show itself. It played a huge role in sparking my interest in becoming a music composer. “Life and Death” was the first song I ever learned by ear for the piano, and I still remember playing it proudly to my parents for the first time.

Favourite track: Parting Words

STEVEN WILSON
THE RAVEN THAT REFUSED TO SING
(AND OTHER STORIES)
2013

For me, Steven Wilson is one of the greatest modern songwriters out there. I’ve always loved his heavier work with Porcupine Tree, but his 2013 effort is really something special. Built around six long-form tracks that each explore loss, grief, or fear of mortality. Blending progressive rock and jazz fusion gives it a timeless quality, and having Alan Parsons involved as co-producer pushed that even further. I’ve listened to it countless times already and the saxophone solo in “The Pin Drop” still succeeds in giving me chills every single time.

Favourite track: The Pin Drop

THE CONTORTIONIST
LANGUAGE
2014

The Contortionist are one of my favorite bands. I already liked their sound since their debut Exoplanet, but with Language and the introduction of their new vocalist Michael Lessard, this was taken to a new level. Conceptually it explores subjects such as the evolution of our consciousness and our communication/language. It’s a quite philosophical album.

When I first got to see them during the Language tour, I was blown away by how they sounded even more expansive live than on record. Michael Lessard’s enigmatic stage presence is something to behold as well. Looking very forward to a new release from them!

Favourite track: Language I: Intuition

R BENY
FULL BLOSSOM OF THE EVENING
2016

There’s a feeling of hopelessness and sadness throughout this record that I can’t compare to anything else. It evokes strong emotions for me every time I hear it. He’s one of those artists who’s able to transport you through sound alone. The fact that most of his sounds are sculpted using eurorack synths makes it all the more impressive. I’m a big fan of his other work as well, but this is the first album I heard from him and will stay with me for a long time!

Favourite track: Overgrowth

SUSS
HIGH LINE
2019

I only discovered SUSS recently. The album is filled with beautiful guitar textures, steel lap guitars, harmonica, and spacious ambient layers that feel cinematic and warm, as if each track is melting under the sun of a late summer heatwave. It reminds me of a modern interpretation of Ennio Morricone’s soundscapes. What I love most is how calming the album feels. It forces you to slow down, sit still, and disappear into its wide-open spaces for a while.

Favourite track: Salt Flats

Julien's own album 'A Distant Familiar' is available in a limited run of 100 gatefold vinyl-effect CDrs, as well as a digital options in a range of high quality formats. You can take a listen to the album in full HERE!