Joeri Bruyninckx engages in a brief yet insightful conversation with Jonathan Cant—better known as Cratje, the Brussels-based sonic alchemist and co-founder of the transmedial electronic label Montage—to delve into the latest chapter of the evocative Songs From The Gutter series.
Tracks that sound like they were put through a blender
Montage is a Brussels-based transmedial electronic label, run by Jonathan Cant and Laura Conant. They recently started the Songs From The Gutter series, a series of cutting-edge dance singles. The first single is one by Jonathan himself, using the moniker Cratje.
Jonathan Cant :: Songs From The Gutter tries to bring together a contemporary yearning for high-intensity post-industrial dance music. We are looking for tracks that manage to give a highly sound-designed ear-tingling sensation, without a specific genre in mind. I think some of the inspirations for this series might be DJ Würm, KAVARI or Blood Of Aza, all artists who manage to bring together sound-design and high-intensity dance music in unique ways.
Igloo :: Why did you and Laura Conant start this series? Did you feel that something was missing in the current offering, that a certain void needed to be filled?
Jonathan Cant :: We don’t think that there is something missing! Actually we wanted to use this series to highlight a certain trend we saw in contemporary dance music, where producers make extremely well-produced tracks that sound like they were put through a blender. Think of industrial noise, but without the accidental analog accidents. This is precise, decisive and balanced music, that sounds as if it’s totally destroyed.
“Think of industrial noise, but without the accidental analog accidents. This is precise, decisive and balanced music, that sounds as if it’s totally destroyed.” ~Jonathan Cant
This series works according to the open call principle. Why?
Jonathan Cant :: We really like working with open calls as we realise as curators that we always have blind-spots. We really like it when people reach out to us and want to make Montage as a platform as open as possible. In the meantime, we’re also actively contacting artists to partake in this series of songs, as we think this way there can be some osmosis or discovery between the smaller and bigger names.
Can you tell me a bit more about your track?
Jonathan Cant :: I made this song rather quickly actually, it sort of just clicked. I started experimenting with the bassline, postprocessing it heavily. Then I added the drums and after a while realised it would give it a more singular energy if I replaced some of the snares with blips. I think a lot of it comes from critical feedback from Laura, who always pushes me to better my music. I have a very short attention span, which sometimes makes it hard for me to be a perfectionist in my productions.
Do you work from home?
Jonathan Cant :: I make my music between my home and my studio. I’m trying to professionalise my practice a bit, so since a couple years I started renting a separate studio space, where I treated the room, to be able to hear the imperfections in my productions the best. I’d like to continue learning audio, to be able to mix other people’s music as well (so slide in my dm’s if you want your music mixed!).
What is your set-up?
Jonathan Cant :: I have a couple synthesizers, but I think this track was completely produced in the box. It makes the production effort between my home and my studio way easier. Furthermore, some of the processing that makes contemporary music sound so fresh, is only possible in the box, or would take a lot of effort and money to produce with traditional synths and gear. I can’t run Serum through 17 instances of OTT on a modular synth.
Montage Night :: Botanique, Brussels (2025-04-24)
“SFTG1” is available on Montage. [Bandcamp]
