Experimental swooner from Flanders
Who?
Tristan is the alter ego of Belgian popstress Isolde Van Den Bulcke, who studied at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and Tilburg University. Van Den Bulcke won the 2015 East Flemish music award as a teenager, signalling a prestigious pedigree which is perceptibly woven into her jazzy vocals and atmospheric synth stylings. After the release of her debut EP in 2018, Tristan immediately drew comparisons with venerated Belgian jazz singer and composer Mélanie De Biasio – no mean feat – and has since been invited to tour with a host of acclaimed compatriots, from Tamino to dEUS frontman Tom Barman.
Why Tristan?
Tristan is certainly towards the smart end of electropop, grazing in the lush pastures between St Vincent and Arca-era Björk. Her debut album, ‘Wellif’, carries a rich sense of expanding and contracting scale, from the quasi-industrial beats of ‘Hellballad’ to the lounging swing of ‘It’s Him’, and the cinematic romance of ‘Isuk. Then there is Tristan’s captivating voice, which at times sounds more like it’s been sampled from a late-night session in a basement jazz club than recorded in a studio. And it’s wrapped up rather nicely with some deft production, all handled by the artist herself.
Tell Us More…
A testament to Tristan’s strong musical foundations, it’s worth exploring her career leading up to ‘Wellif’. Preceding EPs ‘Delidomia’ and ‘Illusje’ show the development of her distinctive sound, coming together to feel like an accessible user guide through the annals of Tristan’s detailed musical world – which is a highly visual one. She has a fondness for performative costumes, wigs and affecting artwork – witness Tristan applying makeup with a knife on the cover of her single, ‘Wildmouth’. A confident singularity that will doubtless yield future treasures.
‘Wellif’ is out on PIAS
