âSIOEN.â (reads as Sioen dot) is a feast, itâs the start of a new era, itâs a new beginning. The album has a clear message and through its veins runs a âlust for lifeâ.
âThis album, probably for the first time, shows who I really amâ (quid Sioen).
When he starts working on the album, some 2 years ago, Sioen decides to use everything that comes to mind. The result is 60 songs which he takes with him on a trip through Europe as he wanted to broaden his horizon and work with other songwriters..
It brings him to Hamburg, Berlin and Stockholm, to name a few of his stops on the journey. Together with these songwriters he goes through his songs and let them the choice of the song to work on. Itâs the start of a new experience.
The different collaborations did have its effect on âSIOEN.â Each song has its own identity, this wasnât the case in the past. Now, every song goes straight to the essence of what it wants to say.
One of the guidelines on this album âDonât bore us. Where is the chorus?â came from Peter Kvint, a Swedish producer and songwriter who made hits for Britney Spears, Heather Nova en Sheryl Crow. Sioen wrote one of the songs on the album with him and the two of them hit it off so well that Sioen asked him to also mix the album. It clearly made its mark on the result.
When he comes back to Ghent he involves Frederik Segers, maybe the best kept secret of Ghent, who gets the job of keeping the overview and making it into an album.
âI took my time for this albumâ says Frederik Sioen. âI may have about 10 versions of certain songs. It was a lengthy process but it never felt that way, probably because the start was always spontaneous. The production is very thorough and we took the time to do a good cleaning job.â Something new : only one of the songs on the album is solely written by Sioen. Something else thatâs new : the piano, Sioenâs signature instrument, is still there but no more in the forefront. Not on the album and it wonât be on stage. Sioen has switched places. He took centre stage holding the microphone. Heâs the man with the guitar. But for the those who wonder : no worries, thereâll still be a piano on stageâŠ.somewhere.
For the first time there was a big influence from outside and this could have gone the wrong way, but it didnât and the result is still a âSioen albumâ.
Sioen has the ability to combine ârecognizable with sustainabilityâ and this latest album is the best prove of that.
âSIOEN.â Is made by an artist that has found out what he does best and where others can give him a hand. Thatâs why thereâs a âdotâ behind the name : just Sioen, this is it!
Sioen. - Pre Listening Session New Album
TUE 17 JAN 12 | Stories
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