Episode 38: A Salon in French, a World in Motion

Le Salon indie de Mitxoda, épisode 38: 16 Jan 2026

Today, we take the long way. We think in French. We breathe in French. We let the music speak French too, even when some artists choose English, and even when the journey crosses Italy, Ireland, England, the United States… because indie creation has never cared much about borders.

This episode was built like a small, human manifesto: slow listening, real context, and a deep respect for why art exists in the first place.

One of the sparks behind this Salon came from a message I received from KIER, who shared a truly original track with me: Soul (La voie de l’âme), from the album Le Temps Ébloui. It is presented as an hommage to the Estonian painter Konrad Mägi, who passed away one hundred years ago.

There’s something quietly powerful about that gesture. Not just “remembering” an artist, but choosing to celebrate creativity itself, across a century. It reminds me that art does not end when a life ends. It travels. It waits. It reappears when someone, somewhere, decides to carry the flame forward. That is indie, too: transmission without permission.

Musically, I also wanted to do something I’ve been craving for a while: longer, cinematic sequences. Those moments where tracks don’t feel like isolated objects, but like connected rooms inside the same house. I could have extended those sequences for hours (hi Histheory!), but I also wanted to keep space for first listens and early discoveries in this beginning-of-the-year episode.

This Salon moves between shadows and light. Between tension and relief. Between calm, delicate atmospheres and urgent statements. At some point, I needed a dose of simple joy, the kind that makes you imagine sunlight in December, just for a minute. Not denial. Just balance. Sometimes hope is not a grand speech; it’s a small breath you protect.

And then there’s what indie always contains: change. A band member leaving. A chapter closing. Another beginning starting immediately after. The punk spirit of continuing anyway, louder, sharper, more alive than yesterday. No polished narrative, just reality: keep moving, keep creating, keep playing.

Speaking of playing: I’ve been mentioning it here and there on social media, but now it’s official and I’m really excited to share it with you here too.

🎸 Live in Brussels — March 7 (Forest) — “Seven” Rock Opera

On March 7, in Forest (Brussels), at L’Improviste, I’ll have the chance to step on stage as the bassist in the rock opera Seven. It’s a special moment for us, because it will be the first time we perform the full repertoire created and composed by the duo Régis Nicolettich and Alix Frank.

And we’re lucky: the opening act will be another high-quality Belgian duo, The Electrozixx.

🎟️ Tickets are now available here:
https://seven.weticket.io/

To celebrate that announcement in the middle of today’s episode, I also took a small musical detour through Alix’s solo universe, because indie is also that: connecting the dots between projects, scenes, friendships, and the many ways music keeps living.

This January 16 episode is packed with releases and world premieres. That always gives the Salon a certain electricity: the feeling of hearing something while it’s still fresh, still fragile, still new to the world. I love that moment, because it reminds us that discovery is not a playlist feature. It’s a human act.

🗳️ One vote per week — The Mitxoda Top 100 Indie

If you want to support this whole indie ecosystem in a simple, fun way, come vote on the Top 100:

https://mitxoda.be/top100

The rule is intentionally slow and calm:

• Votes open every Friday at 4:00 PM (Brussels time).
• You get ONE vote per week.
• For ONE track only.
• It resets every Friday before the next Salon.

There is nothing to “win”, no prizes, no tricks. Just love, respect, and the modest visibility I can offer by putting a small spotlight on the tracks that truly hit us.

And yes, because it’s indie until the end, it might bug, it might crash. If it does, just tell me, and we’ll check it together. That’s also community.

How did you feel about this episode? Come tell me on social media, I always reply.

Thank you, truly, for your loyalty, your listening, and your love for music.
See you next week, back in the Salon indie de Mitxoda 🤍