VI.BE

DZLX, pronounced Dee-Zee-Lo, is an independent artist coming straight out of the punk and hardcore scene, where he is still active with ADVERSE96. Born in Brussels and now living between Nancy, Zurich, and a converted van whenever he is in Belgium, he launched his solo project in spring 2026, driven by a simple need: to find another channel of expression, one where the message could take center stage without the constraints inherent to being part of a band.

His first track, “Systemic Failure”, is above all an outlet. It was born out of a particularly difficult period in 2026, marked in particular by a divorce and the impact it had on him and his two teenage children. Music remains a form of therapy for him, but also a way of opening up a dialogue — something that has never come naturally to him. Diagnosed with ASD and ADHD, and with a past marked by drug and alcohol use, DZLX now uses writing and music to put words to things that can sometimes be difficult to express in any other way.

Laurent De Zutter, his real name, has always been heavily influenced by Hip-Hop flow and lyricism. He has never hesitated to incorporate them into his approach to punk and hardcore, without trying to create a fusion of genres. What interests him is the flow, the choice of words, their placement, and their impact, transposed into a rock context.

The decision to sing in English is entirely deliberate. While fully aware that he is not a native speaker, he nevertheless finds a certain freedom in the language, and above all, a sense of distance. Singing in English makes him feel less exposed when addressing deeply personal subjects, particularly when it comes to the French-speaking people close to him, with whom sharing emotions remains a sensitive area.

As for what comes next, DZLX has no fixed release schedule. The idea is to release tracks one at a time, with varying degrees of regularity. Times have changed, media have changed, and so has the way people discover and “consume” music. Production and distribution tools have evolved dramatically. So why impose on himself today the weight and constraints involved in creating a full album? An album remains a possibility in the medium or long term, but for now, each track will live its own life.

The project is entirely self-produced, with the exception of the beats. Everything is done alone from his home studio, Valmont AUDIOLABS — from production to recording. The same goes for the video side of things: Laurent has always been passionate about visual media and intends to handle this aspect of the project independently as well.