The Klinik


The Klinik

In 1978, Dirk started as singer and guitar player in the punk band Slaughterhouse, but broke up the group one year later to form the more new wave minded project The Few.

Influenced by bands like Suicide, D.A.F. and the UK electronic scene, he appears from 1980 on under the name Absolute Body Control on several compilations. The first single “Is There an Exit?” became a local underground hit. The line-up changed very soon but with Eric Van Wonterghem he finds himself a partner for the next coming years regarding mixing, producing and collaborating. Absolute Body Control exists for 5 years before both members in search for new challenges form projects like The Klinik , Dive, Sonar, Monolith and Insekt. In 2006 , after more than two decades, they reform to play the Tinitus and the Bim Festivals with new recorded versions of their most well-known songs and these live experiences gives such a new boost that they decide to concentrate on new material again.\n\nIn 1985, the Absolute Controlled Clinical Maniacs, a project with members of three Belgian bands, were invited to do a tour in Norway. When they returned, they changed their name into The Klinik and became one of Belgians most exciting electronic bands. Dirk was a member of The Klinik until 1991. When they decided to split up, they already built themselves a very good live reputation with their unique sound and visual gigs and even today they are still an influence for many young bands. The band comes together again for a reunion show in 2003, and since then they play live on a regular base presenting new material. The Klinik members these days are Dirk Ivens (Voice/Lyrics), Marc Verhaegen (Studio Music) and Peter Mastbooms (Live Sounds and Video Images).\n\nIn 1990, Dirk released a self-titled solo album under the name Dive. It was released on his own label Body Records. The album was very primitive, harsh and experimental, with lyrics about hope, death, love and fear, and hits like 10000 volts. This was the start of many products with an evolving sound, sometimes in collaboration with persons and groups like Sigillum S, Controlled Bleeding, Kirlian Camera, Ivan Iusco, Rafael M. Espinosa, Diskonnekted and Francoise Duvivier. With a minimum on equipment, Dirk, who is a non musician who can’t read music or notes, creates a maximum of power. His sound is copied by a lot of newcomers in the last couple of years and he proved on many stages only armed with two stroboscopes, a backing tape and a megaphone that less means more.\n\n1996 saw the start of a new project “Sonar” with the aim to create rhythmical noise and dark soundscapes. The music is created with a combination of analogue and digital instruments. The rhythms remind to working machines, the soundscapes to droning planes. The sound of Sonar is made to make you move in another way, to tune you into a hypnotic beat. It is a straightforward sound which goes further on classic industrial but never without an extra dimension of powerful dynamics and tuned electronics. Sonar is looking for a contemporary definition of danceable industrial and tries to discover this by controlling electronic devices.\n\nGigs and festivals worldwide, his Daft , Minimal Maximal and Body Records label, another side project as Blok 57, combined with an impressive discography makes that Dirk is still one of the leaders of the Belgian electronic scene of today.