Charlotte de Witte has unveiled a new imprint aimed at uplifting Belgium’s storied dance music legacy.
Under the techno maven’s renowned KNTXT label, Époque will be home to new remixes of classic Belgian dance tracks from the 1990s and early 2000s.
“In collaboration with clubs and labels, past and present, we capture the spirit and lifestyle of our bygone discotheque culture,” de Witte wrote in an announcement on Instagram.
“The Époque label remixes iconic tracks, brings back dance classics, and uses club memories and aesthetics to translate them into unique new tracks produced by the current electronic scene,” she continued.
The Époque brand actually began a few years ago as a research project diving into Belgium’s rich nightlife culture and history. With support from KNTXT since the beginning, researchers amassed a comprehensive online archive of stories, flyers, photos, and other mementos from Belgian “discotheque” culture in the 1980s and 90s.
According to Resident Advisor, the archive officially launched in June 2022, focusing on Lokeren, Belgium’s Cherry Moon, one of the country’s longest-running dance music venues. Époque subsequently launched a Cherry Moon-themed merch line and has even hosted its events at the esteemed nightclub.
Now, Époque will begin its journey as a label, starting with a release from de Witte herself. Her remix of Push’s 1998 trance anthem “Universal Nation” is slated to drop on Thursday, January 25.
“I’m unbelievably honoured to have been able to rework one of the most iconic tracks ever made,” de Witte shared on Instagram. “Coming from Belgium myself, this means a lot to me and my goal was to honor and respect the original while giving it a contemporary twist. It has brought me much joy to play it on stages around the world during these last few months, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.”
Check out a clip of Charlotte de Witte’s forthcoming “Universal Nation” remix below and stay updated with Époque at their official Instagram page.
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Featured image from Charlotte de Witte. Credit: Marie Wynants.
