Soulwax

Soulwax are the Belgian act that rewired how people thought about DJing. The Dewaele brothers, Stephen and David, come from Ghent, started as an alternative rock band in the 1990s, and then became a global name when their DJ alter ego 2manydjs mixed rock, electro and pop into a single continuous set. Together they have since built the DEEWEE label and studio, scored films, and returned in 2025 with their first Soulwax studio album in seven years. They are an essential entry in any list of famous Belgian DJs, even if they are not a techno act in the narrow sense.

From Ghent Band to Dewaele Brothers

Wikipedia describes Soulwax as a Belgian electronic band and DJ and production collective from Ghent, active since 1995. They made their first EP, 2nd Handsome Blues, in 1995 and their first album, Leave the Story Untold, in 1996. The core line-up is Stephen Dewaele, David Dewaele and Stefaan Van Leuven, with a live band that Wikipedia lists as including Igor Cavalera, Laima Cavalera, Blake Davies and Aurora Bennett.

Studio albums run Leave the Story Untold (1996), Much Against Everyone's Advice (1998), Any Minute Now (2004), From Deewee (2017), Essential (2018) and All Systems Are Lying (2025). Any Minute Now was followed by a remix album, Nite Versions, in 2005.

2manydjs and As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2

The brothers DJ as 2manydjs, an alias that Wikipedia says replaced earlier billing names. Their breakthrough was the 2002 compilation As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2, a continuous mix of tracks from across genres. Wikipedia says it was officially cleared, unlike the other volumes in the "As Heard" series, which circulated as fan-released bootlegs, and that a New York Times critics' year-end list from December 2002 included it. In our view, that mash-up approach, layering rock, electro and pop in one mix, helped define the mid-2000s dance and indie crossover.

The brothers then toured the idea. Director Saam Farahmand filmed their 2005 to 2007 world tour of 120 shows, resulting in a live film and a documentary under the title Part of the Weekend Never Dies, with a DVD in September 2008, per Wikipedia. In 2011 they launched Radio Soulwax, a website playing 24 hour-long mixes, and the iOS app was nominated for a BT Digital Music Award.

DEEWEE and Deewee Studios

In September 2015, Resident Advisor reported that 2manydjs were behind a new label, Deewee, whose first release, Drie / Twee by Klanken, was due on 19 September 2015. The label operates from their studio in Ghent, according to Wikipedia. It is the home of the Soulwax album From Deewee (2017), which became the basis of a live show, and Wikipedia says that record won Best Album at the Music Industry Awards in 2017.

Wikipedia also lists production and remix work by Soulwax for other artists. At the 62nd Grammy Awards, Mixmag reported, Soulwax were nominated in the Best Remixed Recording category for their remix of Marie Davidson's "Work It".

Soundtracks and Hi-Fi Sound Systems

Soulwax and 2manydjs have scored Steve + Sky (2004), Belgica (2016) and, as 2manydjs, the Netflix film Banger (2025), according to Wikipedia and a DJ Mag report on the Banger soundtrack. The brothers are also two of the regular DJs at Despacio, the vinyl-only sound system built with James Murphy and the DFA engineer John Klett, which debuted at Manchester International Festival in 2013. We examine the project in our piece on hi-fi sound systems at festivals, which also covers Floating Points' Sunflower Sound System.

All Systems Are Lying

All Systems Are Lying was released on 17 October 2025 on Deewee and Because Music. DIY gave it four stars, calling it a vibrantly textured, shapeshifting and inquisitively diverse return, and describing a blend of synth-pop and electro with themes of public scepticism about information and realistic AI imitations. DIY named "Run Free" and "Gimme A Reason" as singles and "Polaris" as a standout. Slant and PopMatters were less impressed by it, so reviews were not uniformly positive. Wikipedia lists a 2026 single, "Perfect We Are Not".

Soulwax in Belgian Dance Music

Soulwax belong to Ghent's creative circle, the same city as Charlotte de Witte and the Deewee-signed Charlotte Adigery covered in our guide to Belgian techno. Where de Witte and Amelie Lens represent the hard-techno strand, the Dewaeles represent the leftfield one: rock, electro, pop and DJ culture mixed on purpose, with a label and studio they own outright.

FAQ

Who are Soulwax?

Soulwax are a Belgian electronic band and DJ and production collective from Ghent, formed in 1995 around the brothers Stephen and David Dewaele and Stefaan Van Leuven, per Wikipedia.

Who is 2manydjs?

2manydjs is the DJ alias of the Dewaele brothers, best known for the 2002 mix compilation As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2.

Are Soulwax Belgian?

Yes. Soulwax and 2manydjs are from Ghent, Belgium, where they run Deewee Studios and the DEEWEE label.

What is DEEWEE?

DEEWEE is a label and studio run by the Dewaele brothers in Ghent. Resident Advisor reported its launch in September 2015, with Drie / Twee by Klanken as the first release.

What is Soulwax's newest album?

All Systems Are Lying, released on 17 October 2025 on Deewee and Because Music, according to DIY. It is their first studio album under the Soulwax name since Essential in 2018.

Did Soulwax get nominated for a Grammy?

Yes. They were nominated in the Best Remixed Recording category at the 2020 Grammy Awards for their remix of Marie Davidson's "Work It", per Mixmag. Wikipedia lists no win.

What is As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2?

It is the 2002 mix album by 2manydjs, the Dewaele brothers' DJ alias, and their official compilation in the "As Heard" series.

Are Soulwax a techno act?

Not primarily. Wikipedia describes them as an electronic band and DJ collective, and their work mixes rock, electro, pop and dance. For Belgian techno specifically, see Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens.

related on rts.fm

• Belgian Techno: The DJs and Scene Behind the Sound→
• Why Festivals Now Book Hi-Fi Sound Systems Like Despacio→