For 15 years now, Stoomboot has been drifting through the corridors of Flemish culture, with a half-smile and a tear, watching the world go by. Early in his career, that gaze turned inward: a romantic young man searching for love. On Stoomboot (2014), he became a storyteller; a poet singing about women he couldn't have. He collaborated with Kommil Foo and was even nominated for a MIA Award. With Storm (2016), the melancholic journey continued. But something changed: he met the love of his life. His world grew. On Zwarte doos (2018), the longing for love turned into living with it. The outside world slowly seeped into his songs - reflections of the Brussels attacks, Trump's first presidency, and the chaos of the times. Meanwhile, Niels Boutsen (that's the man behind the boat) graduated as a historian and started teaching. There, the idea for Omdat we naar de zee stromen (2020) took shape: a concept album about time and how it ticks differently for everyone. For his students. For his wife, who was battling burnout. For his grandparents, whom he rarely visited. Stoomboot wanted to go beyond music, creating a stage performance around the same theme, including storytelling, songs, and live charcoal art by Wide Vercnocke, drawn right there on stage. Before he knew it, the ten-year anniversary of Stoomboot was approaching. Time to look back, the best way he knows how: with a guitar and a story. 10 jaar Stoomboot (2021) was recorded live at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. Over that decade, he also wandered off the main path a few times, paying tribute to the French chanson that inspired him (Mr. Bateau, 2019), blending poetry and jazz in Zandland (2019), releasing Ze leest zo mooi verkeer (2022) with Raymond van het Groenewoud, and touring with his wife in Het is zoeken (2024), a tender and funny show about early parenthood. After ten years on stage, Niels found himself wondering: "What now?" Another record? Absolutely. He picked up the phone and called Tuur Florizoone (accordion) and Christophe Devisscher, two musicians he'd admired for years, watching them light up stages all over the country. "Want to make something together?" he asked. They did. The result is Een heel leven (2026), another concept album, this time about the unpredictable paths life takes. The title says it all: a musical stroll through what Niels's life could have been, but never was. Sometimes the choices that don't feel like choices end up shaping everything. The album was recorded live in the studio. Just three musicians in a room, telling a story. Put it on, and they're right there with you.
Welcome to the Sound House - a place of contemplation, curiosity, and discovery. Here, echoes of the Baroque intertwine with the unpredictable shimmer of electronics, as Miako Klein and Jia Lim traverse centuries of sound and imagination. Drawing inspiration from Francis Bacon's New Atlantis (1626), the duo reimagines the "sound-houses" he described - laboratories of resonance and invention - as a living metaphor for their own musical practice. At the heart of Nova Atlantis lies a dialogue between the historical and the experimental, between notation and improvisation, between gut strings and glowing LEDs. A Renaissance harpsichord replica hums beside recorders and baroque violins; beneath, a constellation of cables and pedals shape the music into new dimensions of color and texture. Klein and Lim explore the Doctrine of Affections through fresh ears, uncovering the rhetorical power of the old masters - Biber, Matteis, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Weckmann, and Schmelzer - and reanimating their spirit through the lens of the Stylus Fantasticus. Improvisation flows freely, merging the precision of early music with the spontaneity of modern sound art. The result is a sonic journey through past and present, where historical gestures resonate with electronic echoes, and the language of the Baroque is refracted through contemporary sensibilities.
Time slipping away, procrastination, nostalgia, resistance to the now, glimpses of the future, and the acceptance of mortality - these are the emotional and conceptual undercurrents that shape Borrowed Time, the new album by Dutch electronica artist Endorphins. Through oddly timed rhythms, bent melodies, fractured breakbeats, and immersive ambient passages, Thomas Heijmans crafts a soundscape that meditates on the elasticity of time and the tension between chaos and stillness. Borrowed Time is both a reflection and a release - a journey that resists linearity and embraces impermanence.
RVB Quartet They bring a mix between rock and jazz which results in a refreshing sound. Interaction, improvisation and groove are the main ingredients that ensure vibrant compositions and crisp live performances. Hamabiwa The quartet feels like kings when they can play like children and let loose on their instruments. Hazel, Bibi, Marius (the little one) and Walt are the inspiration for this album.
Jaggat is a band that builds virtuosic sound bridges between chamber jazz and musical traditions from around the globe. Spanish, Indian, Arabic, African, and Latin American influences merge into a powerful and cohesive sonic tapestry, transcending cultural boundaries. The name Jaggat-derived from Sanskrit for "world"-reflects the ensemble's mission: uniting the rich sounds of diverse cultures into a captivating musical journey rooted in openness and respect for diversity. Their new album demonstrates how tolerance and cultural exchange can give rise to something truly new and beautiful-in music as in society. By weaving together global rhythms, melodies, and traditions, Jaggat creates a sound that is unmistakably their own. At the heart of this musical dialogue are original compositions by guitarist Markus Conrad and double bassist Caspar van Meel, seamlessly intertwined yet unmistakably marked by their individual voices. Percussionist Afra Mussawisade enriches the music with his unique instrumentation, laying down both a vibrant groove and a refined sonic foundation. Whether performing as a trio or expanding into a quartet with guest violinist Christoph Konig, Jaggat unfolds a colorful and wide-ranging spectrum of sound. Their music reveals that diversity not only enriches but also inspires.
This album celebrates how tolerance and cultural exchange can lead to something new and beautiful, both in music and society. In every culture, the soul finds new ways to dance. Step into the circle-where sound is not judged, but joined. "Playing in a trio like this has been a dream of mine for a long time. I've always been fascinated by music from all sorts of cultures. With Jaggat, we're blending genres in a way that feels really natural - it's not just a patchwork. There are rich harmonies, beautiful melodies, cool grooves, and some odd meters thrown in. I love that it all comes together as one cohesive sound." - CASPAR VAN MEEL "Jaggat is a unique blend of various musical styles-including classical music, jazz, world music, flamenco, and Indian music-all fused into a tasteful and vibrant mélange. It was a great joy to play and record this album with these fantastic musicians." - Markus Conrad "Music is a reflection on our society and the times we live in. These compositions express how we live nowadays in Europe. All cultures are represented and are melting in a beautiful way, at least in art and music. That's what I love about this project!" - AFRA MUSSAWISADE
