Five albums to beat the post-festival slump this autumn

The festival summer may be over, but a new wave of albums is arriving to fill the darker days ahead. Among the releases to watch are new records from Amelie Lens and Angèle.

Techno DJ Amelie Lens has finally released her debut album, “AURA,” on her own EXHALE label, a decade after launching her career. She told VRT NWS that she had never felt ready for a full-length record until now. The album’s concept also connects with the audiovisual show she developed, with lighting and visuals adding another dimension to the music.

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This album comes quite late in my career, but I never felt ready for it before. The concept of “AURA” fits beautifully with the audiovisual show I developed. The lighting and visuals give my music an extra dimension and power.

Lens presented “AURA” live to Belgian audiences on the steps of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, in the heart of the city where she lives. The 11-track album stays firmly rooted in her trademark heavy techno. “Whatever you do” delivers a forceful finale, while “our frequency” features Lens’s own voice. The duet “run” stands out for the contrast between Lens’s weighty, earthy beats and Angèle’s light, dreamlike vocals. Dour Festival hosted its live premiere, marking the first time Lens invited a live performer onto her set.

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As a mother, you should not put your dreams aside if your body allows you to keep working.

Lens is pregnant with her second daughter but plans to keep touring for as long as her body allows, as she did during her first pregnancy. “As a mother, you should not put your dreams aside if your body allows you to keep working,” she said. “Being pregnant on stage is incredibly empowering.” “AURA” was released on September 4.

Angèle is also preparing her long-awaited third album, “Instinct.” The Belgian singer is moving away from sweet French-language pop toward electronic music in English and Franglais. Early glimpses sound dark but strongly danceable. Inspired by Charli XCX’s “Brat,” Angèle is pursuing an international audience from Paris after her collaboration with Dua Lipa on “Fever.” Her appearance in central Brussels for the presentation of “What you want” showed that Belgian fans remain highly interested in her new direction.

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Being pregnant on stage is incredibly empowering.