Hooverphonic

Hooverphonic emerged from Belgium as an ambient pop outfit that first drew notice in the mid-1990s with an atmospheric, lighthearted spin on trip-hop. Their sonic palette has since shifted substantially, folding in psychedelic textures, pop structures, and orchestral layers. Tracks by the band have surfaced across countless commercials along with movie and television scores, building a sizable international audience. Within Belgium they rank among the biggest acts of all, as every release since Blue Wonder Power Milk in 1998, including compilations and concert documents, has landed inside the national Top Ten, with five separate titles reaching the summit.

Originally called Hoover, the ensemble came together in 1995 when guitarist and programmer Alex Callier joined keyboardist Frank Duchêne and guitarist Raymond Geerts. Their earliest demo featured vocalist Esther Lybeert; industrial artist Luc Van Acker, known for his work with Revolting Cocks and Lords of Acid, urged the musicians to pitch the material to labels. A deal with Sony followed, yet Lybeert departed before recording began, so Liesje Sadonius stepped in as frontwoman for the debut album. The group first attracted attention by placing the eerie, sample-laden trip-hop piece “2Wicky,” which drew from Pierre Henry and Isaac Hayes, on the soundtrack of Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1996 film Stealing Beauty. That success preceded the full-length A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular, a swirling collection built on breakbeats and found sounds. When the record reached American stores in 1997 the name had become Hooverphonic to sidestep conflicts with other bands and the household-appliance company.

Sadonius exited shortly afterward, preferring not to tour, and eighteen-year-old Geike Arnaert took over in time for 1998’s Blue Wonder Power Milk. Though less quirky than its predecessor, the album thrived, with several cuts continuing to appear in films and ads well into the following decade. After Duchêne’s departure the remaining trio delivered 2000’s The Magnificent Tree, an even more radio-friendly effort that climbed to number two on the Belgian charts. The band also composed the official theme for that summer’s European Football Championship hosted in Brussels. Next came the concept album Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane, their first chart-topping studio record. Sit Down and Listen to Hooverphonic, captured live with orchestral backing but no audience, appeared soon after, and the double-disc set No More Sweet Music, featuring a full remix disc, arrived in 2005.

Leaving Sony in 2006 over insufficient promotional backing, the group issued a contractual singles collection before signing with Belgian indie powerhouse PIAS. The psychedelic-tinged The President of the LSD Golf Club followed in 2007, yet Arnaert soon exited to launch a solo career. The search for a successor drew thousands of submissions worldwide and ultimately led to young Belgian singer Noémie Wolfs, who possessed almost no prior professional experience. Their first collaboration, The Night Before, surfaced in 2010 and yielded the highest-charting single to date when the title track reached number three at home. The release also signaled a return to Sony and a move toward polished adult-contemporary fare.

Hooverphonic with Orchestra appeared in 2012, presenting freshly scored versions of earlier hits alongside a cover of Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy.” Another number-one album, it was succeeded by the chart-topping CD/DVD package With Orchestra Live. Reflection followed in 2013. Wolfs stepped away in 2015; rather than recruit a permanent replacement, Callier and Geerts began working with a rotating roster of guest vocalists for both recordings and shows. The 2016 album In Wonderland leaned into Europop yet still topped the Belgian chart. After Luka Cruysberghs joined as lead singer in 2018, the band issued Looking for Stars, their tenth studio album.