By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – Brussels, The ephemeral nature of nightlife often means that some of the most vibrant cultural movements risk fading into obscurity once the house lights come up and the sound systems are dismantled. However, a new ambitious literary project is seeking to ensure that the golden era of Belgian electronic music remains etched in the collective memory. A crowdfunding campaign has officially been launched to finance the production and distribution of a comprehensive new book that serves as both a retrospective and a celebration of the country’s legendary club scene, seen through the archives of one of its most influential publications.
The project, titled AfterClub Presents Out Soon 1992-2008, aims to distill sixteen years of nocturnal history into a definitive 300-page volume. The book focuses on the legacy of Out Soon, a DIY magazine that emerged from the grassroots of Brussels in the early 1990s and eventually ascended to become the undisputed "bible" for devotees of house, techno, and rave culture. By blending historical archival material with fresh, contemporary perspectives, the book promises to offer an immersive look at a period when Belgium was at the absolute epicenter of the global electronic music map.
To understand the significance of this upcoming release, one must look back to 1992, a pivotal year for European dance music. It was then that Eric Rozen, a Brussels native with a deep passion for the burgeoning underground scene, launched Out Soon. In its infancy, the magazine was a modest, hand-distributed zine, found primarily in niche record stores and the dark corners of a few select venues. It was a labor of love, born from a desire to document a movement that the mainstream media either ignored or misunderstood. However, as the Belgian "New Beat" sound gave way to a more robust techno and house infrastructure, the magazine’s influence exploded. At its peak, Out Soon transformed from a local newsletter into a massive cultural institution, boasting a monthly circulation of approximately 50,000 hard copies—a staggering figure for an independent publication dedicated to subculture.
The magazine’s importance extended far beyond merely listing set times or reviewing the latest 12-inch vinyl releases. Out Soon was a sociological mirror reflecting the complexities of the era. While it certainly championed the rise of Belgian and international DJs, producers, and labels, it also tackled the heavy realities facing the youth of the 1990s and early 2000s. The editorial team did not shy away from the darker or more serious aspects of the scene, providing vital reporting on the AIDS crisis and the nuances of drug use within the nightlife community. Perhaps most significantly, it was an early and staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community, featuring a dedicated, regular double-page spread that highlighted queer voices and spaces long before such inclusivity was common in music journalism.
This holistic approach to reporting turned Out Soon into a communal touchstone. It wasn’t just a magazine; it was a survival guide and a social connector. When the publication finally ceased operations in 2008, it left a void in the Belgian media landscape. In the years since, original copies—particularly the inaugural issues—have become highly coveted artifacts. Collectors and historians of dance music now view these magazines as essential primary sources, with vintage issues frequently changing hands for significant sums on the secondary market.
The resurgence of interest in this history led to the formation of the current book project. The concept was spearheaded by Koen Galle, the founder of the AfterClub publishing house. AfterClub was established with a specific, noble mission: to dig deep into the archives and uncover the "untold stories of Belgium’s rich electronic music culture and nightlife." Galle recognized that the Out Soon archives represented a treasure trove of information that deserved to be preserved in a high-quality, permanent format. To ensure the book remained true to its roots, Galle collaborated closely with the magazine’s original founder, Eric Rozen, making this a true bridge between the scene’s past and its present guardians.
AfterClub Presents Out Soon 1992-2008 is designed to be more than a simple reprint of old articles. While it will feature a wealth of archival photography, advertisements, and editorial pieces that capture the aesthetic of the 90s and 00s, it will also integrate new original content. This includes retrospective interviews and contextual essays that explain the long-term impact of the artists and venues featured in the magazine’s pages. The 300-page count allows for a deep dive into the evolution of graphic design within the rave scene, showing how the magazine’s visual identity shifted alongside the music it covered.
The production of such a massive volume is a significant undertaking, which is why the organizers have turned to the community for support via a crowdfunding campaign on the Ulule platform. This democratic approach to publishing ensures that the book remains an independent endeavor, free from the constraints of traditional commercial publishing houses that might seek to sanitize the grit and authenticity of the original material. The campaign provides a way for those who lived through the era—and those who wish they had—to directly contribute to the preservation of their own history.
According to the project’s roadmap, the timeline for the book’s completion is ambitious but structured. While the exact release dates are contingent on the success of the funding round, the editorial team plans to spend the months between May and August finalizing the writing and curation of the content. September has been earmarked for the design phase, where the layout will be meticulously crafted to honor the DIY spirit of the original zine while providing a modern, premium reading experience. If all goes according to plan, the book will head to the printers in October.
Supporters who participate in the crowdfunding campaign are being offered a variety of tiers and incentives. These include limited-edition copies signed by the creators, which are expected to become collector’s items in their own right. Furthermore, in a nod to the communal spirit that defined the Out Soon era, the names of the project’s backers will be featured within the book itself, immortalizing their contribution to this cultural preservation effort.
The announcement of the Out Soon book comes at a time of renewed global interest in the history of independent music and nightlife. Just recently, another publication was announced documenting the independent music scene in Sheffield, UK, signaling a broader trend of "nightlife archaeology." As the world becomes increasingly digital, the desire for tactile, physical records of our shared cultural experiences has never been stronger. Books like this serve as a vital counterpoint to the fleeting nature of social media, offering a permanent archive of the sounds, faces, and social movements that defined a generation.
For many in Belgium and beyond, the name Out Soon evokes memories of a time when the dance floor was a place of liberation and discovery. It recalls the excitement of picking up a fresh copy of the magazine at a record shop like Music Mania or Doctor Vinyl and reading about the next underground warehouse party. By supporting this book, fans are doing more than just buying a coffee table volume; they are ensuring that the stories of the DJs who pioneered the Belgian sound, the promoters who took risks on new genres, and the activists who fought for a more inclusive nightlife are not lost to time.
The crowdfunding page for the publication is currently active, inviting the global electronic music community to help bring this project to fruition. As the campaign progresses, it serves as a reminder that while the clubs may close and the music may change, the impact of a well-documented subculture can resonate for decades. AfterClub Presents Out Soon 1992-2008 is poised to be an essential addition to the library of any serious music enthusiast, providing a vivid, unfiltered window into the heart of the Belgian underground.