Absolom
| Company type | Music project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Christophe Chantzis, DJ Jimmy Goldschmitz |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Belgium |
| Products | Dance music singles |
Absolom was a Belgian dance music initiative created by producers Christophe Chantzis and DJ Jimmy Goldschmitz, achieving recognition across Europe during the late 1990s. This project represented Chantzis' initial significant entry into Belgium's dance music scene. Vocal performances were delivered by Pascale Feront, who had previously earned acclaim as a finalist on The Soundmix Show. The live ensemble included Feront, two dancers named Cindy and Ellen, alongside Chantzis playing keyboards. Additionally, Chantzis provided backing vocals on several tracks.
Operating under the Absolom banner, Christophe Chantzis also crafted remixes for prominent artists including Tiësto, Fiocco, Zohra, Praga Khan, DJ Visage, Future Breez, and Ace of Base.
”Secret”
The initial single “Secret” stands as Absolom's most notable hit. Its B-side track, “Baby Boomers,” which embraced trance elements, also attracted attention. By late 1997, the 12” vinyl version reached number one on both the Belgian and Spanish Dance Charts, with the CD single soon entering the top 10 in these territories. In 1998, Absolom broadened its reach to countries such as France, Italy, the UK, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Israel, and South Africa. Renowned DJs Quicksilver and Vincent De Moor later created remixes of this song. In Belgium, Absolom was affiliated with Antler Subway—a label recognized for Eurodance acts like Milk Inc, Fiocco, Jessy, 2 Fabiola, Lasgo, and Ian Van Dahl. During this period, Christophe Chantzis also engaged with another Belgian dance project called Astroline.
Other singles
After “Secret,” Absolom released “Where?” in October 1998, which achieved a peak position of #21 on Belgian charts. The following year’s release, “The Air,” climbed to No. 16, marking the project's second-best chart performance. By the time their fourth single “Stars” appeared in August 2000, Jimmy Goldschmitz was no longer listed as a producer; this single failed to chart in Belgium or elsewhere in Europe. In 2001, house and trance label Xtreme Records from New Jersey signed Absolom for “Stars,” which then spent multiple weeks on U.S. dance charts after its release. The CD single was officially issued in January 2002.
Split
Although an album was announced in 2000, it ultimately never materialized. Following the disappointing European reception of “Stars” in 2000, Christophe Chantzis discontinued producing music under Absolom by 2001 and redirected his efforts toward the international dance act Ian Van Dahl. Meanwhile, Jimmy Goldschmitz took on residency DJ roles at Belgian venues such as Bar-a-Bar. Pascale Feront embarked on a solo path, releasing her album Real Life in 2002. Dancer Ellen became part of Praga Khan’s ensemble.
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (VL) | ||||||||||||||
| 1998 | "Secret" | 8 | ||||||||||||
| "Where?" | 21 | |||||||||||||
| 1999 | "The Air" | 16 | ||||||||||||
| 2000 | "Stars" | — | ||||||||||||
| "—" indicates singles that did not enter the charts | ||||||||||||||
External links
- Absolom at EuroDanceHits.com – A US platform dedicated to European dance music
- Comprehensive release list from the music archive Discogs
- Official site of Jimmy Goldschmitz