Minimalistix

Minimalistix, a Belgian musical group formed in 2000, consisted of Dave Lambrechts, Janus De Decker, Johan Casters, Peter Bellaert, Steve Sidewinder (Andy Vandierendonck) and Els Mortelmans. The project was initiated by Peter Bellaert (alias Brian Koner), who purchased his first synthesizer at the age of eighteen and signed his first recording contract in 1991 with Snowball Records. Minimalistix's breakthrough came with their white label single "Struggle for Pleasure", a remix of the 1983 Wim Mertens track, which gained significant traction in Belgium dance clubs and reached the top 10 of European radio dance tracks by 2000. The group's first studio album, Elements, was released in 2002, marking their debut on Moskito. Elements featured a collection of progressive trance tracks that solidified Minimalistix's sound and established them as notable figures in the electronic music scene. Their subsequent releases included popular singles like "Close Cover" and "Magic Fly", both of which reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 12 and number 36 respectively. Additionally, "Struggle For Pleasure" peaked at number 38 in the Dutch chart and "Close Cover" made it to number 34. Minimalistix was known for their energetic live performances, often featuring Els Mortelmans as Poison Ivy on vocals and stage presence. The group also produced notable remixes including DJ Sammy's "Sunlight" (released by Polystar in 2002), and 4 Strings' "Diving" (also released by Polystar the same year). Minimalistix disbanded in 2010 following their second studio album Elements.