Physical Address
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Factory Benelux emerged in April 1980 as a collaboration between Factory Records and Brussels-based Les Disques du Crépuscule. The idea was simple: Crépuscule would handle the release of ‘spare’ recordings from Factory artists while offering the Manchester label a direct link to continental Europe. At the heart of Benelux were journalists Michel Duval and Annik Honoré, who had already played a pivotal role in promoting Factory acts—including Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and Section 25—at Brussels’ legendary Plan K. Factory had previously tested similar ventures, notably the limited-edition release of Joy Division’s Atmosphere through French art label Sordide Sentimental, and the establishment of Factory US Inc. across the Atlantic.
The first wave of Factory Benelux releases arrived in 1980, featuring singles by A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Section 25. Over the next three years, Benelux became an essential extension of Factory, issuing exclusive material from New Order, Crispy Ambulance, The Names, Minny Pops, Cabaret Voltaire, Crawling Chaos, Stockholm Monsters, and The Wake. Financial constraints at Factory HQ meant that Benelux also led the way in releasing pivotal dance singles by Quando Quango and 52nd Street. By 1983, FBN began to focus on European editions of Factory releases, alongside production projects by members of New Order under the Be Music banner—including Life, Nyam Nyam, Surprize, and Lavolta Lakota. Amidst this prolific output, the label also released two full-length Durutti Column albums: Short Stories for Pauline and Circuses and Bread.
By 1988, Factory Benelux ceased releasing new material, though Crépuscule continued to use the imprint for early CD reissues from The Names, New Order, and Crispy Ambulance. In 2012, the label was revived with the blessing of Duval and Honoré, now curated by James Nice—who had previously worked at Crépuscule in the late 1980s. The reborn Factory Benelux has since issued reissues and new releases from The Durutti Column, Section 25, Blurt, The Names, Crispy Ambulance, Quando Quango, and The Wake, alongside fresh material from Section 25, Mark Reeder, and The Wake. Further releases are planned, including new projects from Section 25 and Minny Pops.
“I don’t think people know that Factory Benelux and Crépuscule are run by the same people. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know. They are two seperate things – Factory Benelux deal with Factory artists, Crépuscule is something we look for, we have to look for what we want to do.”
Annik Honoré
A Certain Ratio’s Shack Up and the compilation From Brussels With Love were the two initial releases by Factory Benelux and Les Disques du Crépuscule in 1980. The latter is available to order in 2xCD or 2xLP formats from LTM Recordings.
Where Nothing Can Change
The fact that Les Temps Modernes, Factory Benelux and Les Disques Crepuscule endure to this day is largely thanks to James Nice and a spread of artists that does still feel like a community in these very different times.
Les Disques du Crépuscule and Factory Benelux releases can be found on the Les Temps Modernes website
