“Stigman” was started in 2012 by François Borgers as an intimist rock solo project, inspired by life, movies and litterature. (Ira Stigman is the main character of Henry Roth’s book, ” Mercy of a Rude Stream “, a great novel on the loss of the innocence and the transgression). François Borgers is a belgian musician who played the guitar in several rock bands and electro acoustics projects.
François Borgers est agrégé en philosophie et guitariste de formation (Ateliers d’art contemporain à Liège). Après une solide expérience dans diverses formations rocks et plusieurs projets électro acoustiques instrumentaux, il développe en 2012 un projet électro pop rock intimiste aux influences littéraires et cinématographiques,“Stigman”. Il compose les musiques, écrit les textes, joue de la guitare, chante et diffuse ses propres films lors de ses concerts.
Ira Stigman, c’est le personnage central du livre d’Henry Roth – écrivain new-yorkais, “A la merci d’un courant violent” (“Mercy of a Rude Stream”), grand roman autobiographique sur la perte de l’innocence, la transgression, l’abandon, l’amitié et l’amour, des thèmes abordés dans le projet musical.
“Stigman” is een soloproject, pop indie rock, met literaire en filmische invloeden, heb ik sinds 2010 zelf ontwikkelde (gitaar, zang, beat box, teksten/live gebruik ik folk en elektrische gitaren, een beatbox en ik projecteer mijn films).
“Stigman” is de held van het boek van Henry Roth, New York Schrijver, “Mercy of a Rude Stream”, bekende boek over het verlies van onschuld, overtreding en jeugd.
2012: EP, quatre titres, cover painting, Thierry Robrechts.
2013: album “Broken skins”, 14 titres, artwork, Jean-François Flamey.
2015: album “Fathers”, artwork, Olivier Calicis.
2018: “Dream songs”
2022: “Room with a view”
2024: “Phantom pains”
The album is available on vinyl (notably at Lost in Sound in Liège and Juke Box in Namur) and on all online platforms.
Here are some links:
-A video of a live performance for Matélé (June 2024):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odrdrwMryps
-Two reviews of the album:
“Music in Belgium” (July 2024): https://musicinbelgium.net/reviews/stigman-phantom-pains/
« In fact, the Belgian artist, both composer and writer, delivers a contemporary collection of traditional folk-pop/pop-rock ballads of yesterday, thanks to the incursion of modern sounds that contrast with a classic folk playing with the added desire to offer us beautiful lyrics! To be discovered… a personal and profound work »
“A découvrir absolument” (January 2024): https://adecouvrirabsolument.com/spip.php?article9454
“In twelve English-sung tracks with a soothing/soft voice, a gray-blue voice, “Phantom Pains” highlights ethereal, melancholic yet catchy melodies. Stigman doesn’t hesitate to employ the pop format – short introductions, alternating dynamic verses with addictive choruses, accessible harmonies, and never pretentious bridges – to get to the essence and maintain a sincerity that is evident. (…) An intimate, introspective, yet radiant work, bathed in a blue-gray sunlight, “Phantom Pains” is a highly recommendable album that indirectly paints a friendly portrait of its author and will, without sentimentality, captivate sensitive souls”
-The latest album on Bandcamp:
-Spotify: Stigman
-The video for the single, the second track of the album Alice and her sisters, on Vimeo:
-The website: www.stigman.be
Live, it’s quite dynamic. Stigman is accompanied by a bassist, or plays solo depending on the venue. He uses an electric guitar, guitar loops and electro loops, a drum machine, and also projects films that He’ve made.
Contact (booking, infos): stigman9@gmail.com
(Web Designer: Soulira Kerri)