V2 records news – The Clockworks – new single ‘through the looking glass’
THE CLOCKWORKS Share New Single "Through The Looking Glass"
And Announce New Album "The Entertainment" OUT 27 MARCH 2026
Through The Looking Glass - Single by The Clockworks | Spotify
Following their return with recent track 'Best Days', Galway via London fourpiece The Clockworks share new single 'Through the Looking Glass' and announce their second album and first album with V2 Records, 'The Entertainment' released on 27th March 2026.
With a cinematic and all-encompassing sound, The Clockworks introduced themselves with debut album 'Exit Strategy' in 2023 and their self-titled EP 'The Clockworks' in 2022, gaining acclaim from the likes of BBC 6Music and BBC Radio 1. With a soundscape that pulls from seemingly disparate regions of the musical landscape, namechecking Daft Punk next to Pixies, next to Ennio Morricone, they are influenced not only by an extensive musical palette, but also through their passion for film and literature. Lyrically, singer and lyricist James McGregor writes with purpose, integrity and emotion, balancing light with darkness and finding poetic intrigue in everyday life. They will release their new album 'The Entertainment' in March, which was largely written and recorded independently at home, and is a project that looks at the themes of isolation, loneliness and connection.
New single 'Through the Looking Glass' continues to showcase the fresh sound of The Clockworks and is a majestic and atmospheric track that builds in both intensity and emotion. Self-produced, led by Sean Connelly, it drops the listener straight into the middle of the action, building lyrically and musically to a climax that hits crisis point and suddenly unspools. Speaking about 'Through the Looking Glass', the band says;
"This song centers around that moment of telling someone you love them and not hearing the same thing back. It's the desperation, longing and futility of building yourself up beforehand to pour your heart out and obsessively retracing the moment a thousand times in your head afterwards."
The Clockworks have just finished a European tour with Johnny Marr and recently performed at festivals such as Rock Werchter, Eurosonic and Electric Picnic. They will be announcing further live dates soon.
The Clockworks are James McGregor, Sean Connelly, Damian Greaney and Tom Freeman.
Even voorstellen – Liesa Van der Aa – Caramel
LIESA VAN DER AA -'CARAMEL'
Nieuw album uit 28 November (via Louisa's Daughter Recs).
+ Releaseconcert 9 December @Roma/Amor
Caramel
First Move (feat. Niels Broos)
Een veelzijdig talent dus, actief als componiste, muzikante en actrice, en ze staat bekend om haar grensverleggende en multidisciplinaire output, van haar muzikaal werk met Boris Wilsdorf (Einsturzende) tot Baloji en Zwangere Guy. Haar erg gesmaakte rollen in film en Tv reeksen, haar eigen eigenzinnige muziektheatervoorstellingen in binnen en buitenland, en ook films.
Zo heeft ze deze zomer al een erg succesvolle muziekvoorstelling opgezet in Berlijn: HUNTER. Een muziektheatervoorstelling i.o.v. Neuköllner Oper in Berlijn, geïnspireerd door het album Homogenic van Björk. Dit was een erg mooi succes, met erg goede Duitse pers, en de voorstelling zal (tbc timings) volgend jaar ook in België te zien zijn.
Daarnaast is er ook een muzikale hoofdmoot, Caramel: een sterk nieuw album dat Liesa uitbrengt 28* november (pop/soul).
Releaseconcert /try out op 9 December @Roma/Amor (Antwerpen) loopt vol, meer concerten worden weldra aangekondigd
Als een slak op een scheermes
Zo omschreef een vriend van Liesa Van der Aa haar nieuwe plaat Caramel — als zachtheid die zich om scherpe randen vouwt, maar zich nooit laat snijden. Een treffend beeld, want met Caramel brengt Liesa haar meest persoonlijke werk tot nu toe.
Caramel is de grote zus van haar vorige plaat Easy Alice beweegt zich nog steeds in eenzelfde jazzy universum. Je hoort echo's van Laurie Anderson, dit keer vervlochten met de vroege klassiekers van James Blake en flarden van Billie Eilish en FKA Twigs. Elektronica, hedendaags klassiek, barok, jazz en hiphop — Caramel draagt, zoals Van der Aa het zelf graag omschrijft, al deze jassen tegelijk, nonchalant over elkaar heen. En daarbovenop vallen, meer dan ooit tevoren, de maskers.
'Caramel' is een warme, toegankelijke, eclectische mix die invloeden uit diverse hoeken combineert, waaronder Pop en Electro, Jazz en Hiphop tot zelfs verwijzingen naar Hedendaags Klassiek. Ze beschrijft het zelf als het tegelijk nonchalant dragen van "al deze jassen over elkaar heen."
Het resultaat wordt vergeleken met een caleidoscopische ontmoeting tussen artiesten als FKA Twigs en PJ Harvey, Bill Withers en Soulwax, maar ook invloeden van Solange, James Blake, Tirzah, Laurie Anderson, Billie Eilish tot zelfs Annette Peacock of Jenny Hval. Check lager zeker ook het lijstje van muzikanten en guests op de plaat.
Voor de basis van dit album gebruikte Liesa Van der Aa een intensieve 'cut-and-paste' methode waarbij piano, één-take zang, loops en viool in stukjes gesneden en weer in elkaar gezet als legoblokjes tot geheel organische nummers. De single 'Caramel' is de titeltrack en diende als het startpunt en de basis voor de muzikale grondslag van het hele album, toegankelijker, speels, soms sensueler, warm en verleidelijker dan ouder werk, vol 'sizzling tension'.
V2 records news - CASPAR AUWERKERKEN - Announces Debut Album "Figuring Out My Horizons"
OUT 27 FEBRUARY
NEW SINGLE "PILGRIM"
9 December Live @ AB, Brussels (support Portland)
31 March Release Show @ Depot, Leuven
Two Ravens - Single by Caspar Auwerkerken | Spotify
Pilgrim - Single by Caspar Auwerkerken | Spotify
Good news for fans of melancholic indie folk. Caspar Auwerkerken has just announced his long-awaited debut album 'Figuring Out My Horizons', out 27 February via V2 Records. Alongside the album announcement, Caspar releases a second single 'Pilgrim', the perfect track to celebrate the autumn. He will celebrate the release on March 31 at Het Depot (Leuven),
"What does it mean to be human today, and how can one live authentically in the world?"
That's the central question Caspar asks himself on Figuring Out My Horizons. His songs are thematic in nature, drawing inspiration from philosophy, visual art, and the natural world. A central theme concerns how humanity deals with climate change in a world that is becoming increasingly materialistic and detached, and what concepts like authenticity and genuineness still mean.
At the same time, the songs also symbolize his search for inner peace, an attempt to respond to an anxiety disorder that at times rears its head intensely. The album is an act of resistance against fear — a manifestation of his "self" as something crystallized out of that fear, yet simultaneously offering a constructive counterbalance to a destructive force.
Loyal sources of inspiration that guide him in exploring these questions — and that are sometimes referenced directly — include philosophers Friedrich Nietzsche and Henry David Thoreau, and poets Arthur Rimbaud and Georg Trakl.
In this searching mindset, he wrote the songs in the natural surroundings that inspire him most — at a fixed writing spot in a forest near his home. This environment plays a crucial role in the creative process of the album as an atmospheric sounding board. If a song could be played there and the energy of the place resonated with it, he knew it was a piece worth keeping. For months he refined the songs, but the ideas truly came to life during band rehearsals.
Xavier Declercq (bass/synth), Arno De Bock (drums), and Mauro Bentein (guitar) further shaped the tracks in a more daring way, leaving their mark on the album with bold arrangements and choices — sometimes resulting in intimate, hushed songs, and at other times in fuller, guitar-driven soundscapes.
Album Tracklist
Early praise for EP "Abloom" (2023)
Caspar Auwerkerken Live
9 December - AB, Brussels (support Portland)
31 March - Het Depot, Leuven
2 April - Club AFF, Hasselt
Pias news – Thundercat – upside down
THUNDERCAT SHARES NEW COVER OF "UPSIDE DOWN" IN COLLABORATION WITH CANDY CRUSH SAGA
ON TOUR NOW
IN BELGIUM 22.03.2026 AB, BRUSSELS
Candy Crush x Thundercat – 'Upside Down' (Official Video) | Music Season 2025
The amazing Thundercat returns with a new cover of "Upside Down," released in collaboration with Candy Crush Saga®, out now via Brainfeeder. The new track arrives hot on the heels of Thundercat's recent releases "I Wish I Didn't Waste Your Time" and "Children of the Baked Potato" (feat. Remi Wolf).
Candy Crush Saga has kicked off its latest Music Season by teaming up with Grammy-winning artist Thundercat to flip the iconic "Upside Down" into a multisensory world brought to life through a playable music video and limited-edition bone-conduction lollipops that literally let you taste the beat.
At the heart of the campaign is a one-of-a-kind playable music video that lets fans step inside the new track. As the beat builds, fans can match visuals in sets of three to gamify the story, triggering bursts of color, unlocking surprises, and racking up points in a topsy-turvy, joy-filled ride.
On the creation of the song, Thundercat notes ""I'm grateful to Candy Crush for the opportunity to cover such a legendary song."
Thundercat recently performed his newest single "Children of the Baked Potato" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with featured guest Remi Wolf.
Although it's been more than five years since his last full length, It Is What It Is, Thundercat keeps himself busy. Collaborations with Tame Impala, Gorillaz, Silk Sonic, Kaytranada, and Justice maintained his presence in the music realm, while the bassist has also branched out into acting with roles in Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett. Continuing his foray into the realm of television, the bassist joined Yo Gabba Gabba for a special performance at NPR's Tiny Desk and appeared as a featured musical guest on the rebooted Yo Gabba Gabbaland Apple TV+. This past April, he appeared at the show's Coachella set for both weekends. He's stuck in your head, he's playing in Gap ads, he's onstage with Steve Lacy and Red Hot Chili Peppers — Thundercat's warm, playful presence is never too far away, and life's all the more enlivened by it.
V2 records news – Laufey - Premieres cover of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town"
28 February at ING Arena, Brussels
Laufey - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (Official Visualizer)
Laufey - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
Laufey's music has become synonymous with the season. A Very Laufey Holiday started in 2021 with "Love To Keep Me Warm" (with dodie), followed by "The Christmas Waltz" in 2022, "Christmas Dreaming" in 2023, and "Santa Baby" last year with a music video featuring Bill Murray. Also last year, Laufey recorded a holiday original, "Christmas Magic," exclusively for Amazon Music, which will now be included on the A Very Laufey Holiday collection.
Laufey's latest album, A Matter of Time, was released to widespread critical acclaim in August, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the Jazz Albums chart. On the album, Laufey further crystalizes her singular sound—one still rooted in her beloved influences, but which forgoes any strict standards or rules. "I'm constantly thinking about classical and jazz, how to properly preserve them and pay homage." For this album she continues to do so while also noting, "I just wanted to let my heart wander." To that end, she teamed with a pair of co-producers, one comforting and familiar—Spencer Stewart who worked with Laufey on her first two albums —and one new to her but deeply attuned to artists looking to open up: Aaron Dessner (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran). Feeling sonically unrestrained gave Laufey the space to share new sides of herself while exploring sometimes heavier themes. A Matter of Time finds Laufey at her most daring—and also playful—as she captures the experience of "real love" in its many forms and what it means to observe as it strips you down to your most vulnerable and anxious.
Laufey wrapped the North American leg of her record-breaking A Matter of Time arena tour last week, and has confirmed further touring throughout the UK and Europe for 2026, with dates already sold-out at London's O2, Paris' Adidas Arena, Dublin's 3Arena and more. Of the live show, the Houston Chronicle hailed, "Everything about the show sparkled — in every sense of the word. The castle-like set was Disney worthy. The quartet of dancers was quirky and campy. The band was resonant and refined. There were costume changes, from ball gown to fringe minidress to toreador-style jacket. This was Laufey embracing the biggest moment of her career so far."
Laufey (pronounced lay-vay) has captivated a generation with virtuosic songs of love and self-discovery by manifesting her vision of jazz-and classical-infused pop music. She has become a bridge for the older music she adores, from Chet Baker to Carole King to Ravel, by offering her bold interpretation to a younger crop of listeners who have become deeply connected over time. This was all by design — Laufey's self-assigned raison d'être — and it worked, allowing her to bring to life the whimsical universe known as "Laufey Land."
Raised between Reykjavik and Washington, D.C., she learned piano and cello as a child, later studying at Berklee College of Music. There, she wrote her debut EP, 2021's Typical of Me, whose striking single "Street by Street" debuted at No. 1 on Icelandic Radio—the first of many achievements that have grown to include 5 billion global streams, a social media audience of 25 million, the biggest jazz LP debut in Spotify history and an album in Billboard's Top 20 (both for Bewitched), a growing pile of Platinum plaques, a Forbes 30 Under 30 designation, and being named one of TIME's 2025 Women of the Year. She's sold out the Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, Crypto.com Arena, and London's Royal Albert Hall; performed backed by the LA Phil, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the China Philharmonic Orchestra; shared the stage with the likes of Noah Kahan, Hozier, Jon Batiste and Raye; and collaborated on records with artists including Barbra Streisand, Role Model, Beabadoobee, and Norah Jones.
LAUFEY LIVE
February 28—ING Arena—Brussels, BE SOLD OUT
March 1—Ziggo Dome—Amsterdam, NL SOLD OUT
March 2—Adidas Arena—Paris, FR SOLD OUT
N9 Eeklo - events
Basisinfo - Muziekclub N9 in Eeklo maakt zich weer op met enkele toppers (in spe) en heel wat te ontdekken muzikaal talent. Zowat alles komt aan bod: indie, rock, blues, jazz, gipsy, klassiek, funk, soul, chanson, belpop en drone.
Ook in het seizoen slaan muziekclub N9 en Cultuurhuis Herbakker (nieuwe naam en vernieuwd gebouw) de handen in elkaar.
INFO zie site
Alle clubconcerten vinden al sinds de heropstart (2021) na de coronaperikelen plaats in Kubiek, en dat blijft in de toekomst ook zo.
20/12 Sound Track finale - Oost-Vlaamse finale
2026
22/01 The Colorist Orchestra (ism CH Herbakker) @CH Herbakker
24/01 Whloes, Vandal X
30/01 ’t Hof Van Commerce , Gijs (ism Hussle)
31/01 Sheherazaad (ism CC Evergem) @CC Evergem
07/02 Jazzlab: Stéphane Galland: Kanda, Kin Gajo
10/02 Zu, Stahlmus delegation
14/02 De Dolfijntjes
21/02 Night Of The Metal Breakdown – 20 Y
27/02 Ao (try-out)
06/03 Flying Horseman
10/03 Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds, Liz Lamere
18/03 Cali agents (ism Hussle)
27/03 GA-20 (exclusief Belgisch concert)
25/04 Steve Gunn
01/05 The Bevis Frond
08/05 Den Der Hale, Golden hours
30/05 Jazzlab: Mattias De Craene & Black Koyo
05/06 SCHNTZL
INFO
Artist in residence: Lézard (2024)
Sound Track
Sound Track – het live en kansenparcours van VI.BE en de livesector
Helden in het Park brengt mensen van alle leeftijden en achtergronden samen. Muziekclub N9 organiseert het gratis muziekfestival al sinds 1995 onder de warme avondzon in het Heldenpark in Eeklo. Het is dé plek om je volledig te verliezen in livemuziek en een gezellige, zomerse sfeer.
Een gevarieerd liveprogramma
Vier donderdagen op rij kan je op Helden in het Park terecht voor onvergetelijke gratis concerten. Elke avond zorgen twee (inter)nationale topbands voor fantastische optredens op de main stage aan het kasteel.
Herbakkersfestival Festivalsite Blokhutten, Eeklo
www.herbakkersfestival.be
Landrovers
LANDROVERS is een nieuw, grensverleggend muzikaal uitwisselingsproject, opgezet door
twee ervaren muziekhuizen aan weerszijden van de Nederlands-Belgische grens.
Muziekclub N9 en De Spot (Middelburg) slaan twee jaar lang de handen in elkaar om samen
en grensoverschrijdend acht concertavonden op poten te zetten. Zowel Nederlandse als
Belgische bands, jong bloed en gevestigd muzikaal talent worden tijdelijk weggeroofd uit hun
land van oorsprong, om er vervolgens over de landsgrens voor de leeuwen te worden gegooid!
Sound Track
MUZIEKCLUB N9 EN CULTUURHUIS HERBAKKER WERKEN OPNIEUW SAMEN
Twee Eeklose cultuurhuizen slaan opnieuw de handen in elkaar
De samenwerking bestaat uit onder andere uit een handvol
Cultuurhuis Herbakker en muziekclub N9 zijn geen onbekenden. De overburen
werken al jaren samen aan concerten, schoolvoorstellingen en Kunstendag voor Kinderen. Die
samenwerking is een verrijking voor beide partijen én het Eeklose cultuurlandschap
Alle concerten vinden plaats in N9 villa, Molenstraat 165, Eeklo.
Meer info over de concerten is te vinden op www.n9.be
Meer info betreffende jamsessies zie site
- Cursussen - check de website
- Jazzlab series - check de website
* N9 - 2022 - kreeg positief advies, maar nog geen centen van het budget Vlaamse overheid
Triggerfinger, try-out is een teken van appreciatie!
Meer info op www.n9.be
Live Nation concert - The Neighbourhood – nieuwe zaal!
THE WOURLD TOUR
Op woensdag 13 mei 2026 in AFAS Dome, Antwerpen > Nieuwe zaal!
De vraag naar tickets in presale voor het geplande concert van The Neighbourhood in Vorst Nationaal is ongezien groot. Naar aanleiding daarvan verhuist de Belgische show in 'THE WOURLD TOUR' naar een nieuwe, grotere zaal. Het Amerikaanse dark pop/indierock-collectief achter het cult fenomeen "Sweater Weather" stelt hun vijfde album '(((((ultraSOUND)))))' voor in de AFAS Dome in Antwerpen, nog steeds op woensdag 13 mei 2026.
In presale gekochte tickets voor het concert in Vorst Nationaal blijven geldig voor het concert in de AFAS Dome. Ticketkopers worden via mail gecontacteerd.
Tickets zijn beschikbaar vanaf vrijdag 7 november om 10u via livenation.be en kosten €79,41 - €57,01 - €51,40 - €45,80 - €40,20 (inclusief servicekosten en mobiliteitsbijdrage).
De vijfkoppige Californische band The Neighbourhood, bestaande uit Jesse Rutherford (zang), Zach Abels (gitaar), Jeremy Freedman (gitaar), Mikey Margott (bas) en Brandon Fried (drums), brak in 2012 wereldwijd door met de hit "Sweater Weather". Al snel groeiden ze uit tot een van de meest eigenzinnige bands van hun generatie. Dat deden ze met een mix van pop, rock en hiphop en een herkenbare zwart-witte esthetiek. Op hun nieuwe album '(((((ultraSOUND)))))', dat verschijnt op 14 november, hebben ze kleur teruggevonden, of toch minstens een paar tinten. Grijs, de kleur die ze vroeger resoluut afwezen, loopt als een subtiele openbaring door het album. De tint duikt op in het artwork én in meerdere songs, als metafoor voor nuance en groei. Met "OMG", "Lovebomb" en "Private" geven ze alvast een voorsmaakje dat doet verlangen naar meer. Op '(((((ultraSOUND)))))' klinkt The Neighbourhood als een band die niets meer te bewijzen heeft, maar wel nog veel te vertellen. Kom het live ontdekken in de AFAS Dome!
"Everything used to be black and white, now it's grey." - Jesse Rutherford, The Neighbourhood
www.livenation.be
Durbuy Rock events
8 november 2025, 16.00 uur
Durbuy Rock Festival Showcase met Crescent Sky (BE) + Full Dawa (BE) + Nhope (BE) + This Is Not Yours (BE) + Baraka (BE) + BERNARD MINET METAL BAND (FR)
Cultuurcentrum Braine-l’Alleud.
10 november 2025, 20.00 uur
DO OR DIE (BE) + One Hour (BE) + Violent Crisis (BE)
Belvedere, Namen (Citadel).
22 november 2025, 19.00 uur
NEW MODEL ARMY (VK) + Vox Populi (BE)
Reflektor, Luik (midden)
12.12.2025, 20.00 uur
KRAKIN’ KELLYS (BE) + Skal (BE)
La Zone, 4020 Luik (Outremeuse).
25-02-2026, 20.00 uur
GRRR FEST met HAWXX (VK) + GENDER CRISIS (VK) + Tarmak Abra (BE)
La Zone, 4020 Luik (Outremeuse).
26 februari 2026, 19.00 uur
GRRR FEST met HAWXX (VK) + GENDER CRISIS (VK) + I, DORIS (VK) + The Vaporellas (BE)
La Mule, 1030 Brussel (Schaarbeek)
27 februari 2026, 20.00 uur
GRRR FEST met YUR MUM (VK) + GENDER CRISIS (VK) + Lavender Witch (BE)
Belvédère, Namen (Citadel)
28 februari 2026, 20.00 uur
GRRR FEST met YUR MUM (VK) + HAWXX (VK) + Tarmak Abra (BE)
L’Entrepôt, Aarlen.
03/05/2026, 19.00 uur
GRRR FEST met BE N!CE (VK) + Lavender Witch (BE) + Dani Cosmic (BE)
La Mule, 1030 Brussel (Schaarbeek)
03/07/2026, 20.00 uur
COLLECTION D’ARNELL-ANDREA (FR) + Paul Parking x Memento (FR/BE)
L’Entrepôt, Aarlen.
17 en 18 april 2026
29e Durbuy Rockfestival met
Vrijdag vanaf 16.30 uur:
- Atum Nophi (BE)
- Bukowski (FR)
- Komah (BE)
- Didier Super Metal (FR)
- Psykup (FR)
- Ultra Vomit (FR)
- Baraka (BE)
- Reise Reise, Tribute to Rammstein (BE)
Zaterdag vanaf 11:30 uur
-Hope As A Weapon (BE)
- TSS (FR)
- League Of Distortion (DE)
- Vianova (DE)
- Dogma
- The Defect (VS)
- Tanzwut (DE)
- Stain The Canvas (IT)
- Black Mirrors (BE)
- Ten56. (FR)
- Novelists (FR)
- The Browning (VS)
- Lord Of The Lost (DE)
Plaine du Sassin in Bomal-sur-Ourthe (Durbuy)
Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1064350742415391
Infos : http://www.durbuyrock.be/
Even voorstellen – Gorillaz – ‘The mountain’, album – single ‘the God of lying’ (ft Idles)
« The end is the beginning »
NIEUWE TRACK VAN HUN ALBUM 'THE MOUNTAIN'
The God of Lying (feat. IDLES)
The God of Lying (feat. IDLES) - song and lyrics by Gorillaz, IDLES | Spotify
"The God of Lying" feat. IDLES is het gloednieuwe nummer van Gorillaz, en het derde voorproefje van het komende studioalbum van de band, The Mountain.
Geschreven door Damon Albarn en Joe Talbot, en opgenomen in Londen, Devon en Mumbai, met Ajay Prasanna op bansuri en percussie van Viraj Acharya, laat "The God of Lying" de frontman van IDLES zijn kenmerkende charisma brengen in een dub-achtige zang die een reeks vragen opwerpt en weinig troost biedt. Dit weerspiegelt de onderliggende thema's van het album, verbonden met sociale en politieke spanningen.
The Mountain (release op vrijdag 20 maart) is het negende studioalbum van Gorillaz, een uitgestrekt klanklandschap vol instrumenten en geluiden, rijk gelaagd met stemmen, melodieën en meeslepende ritmes. Het album bevat 15 nummers die de essentie vormen van de samenwerkingsgeest van Gorillaz.
Het brengt een opmerkelijke lijst van artiesten en gasten samen, waaronder: Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Asha Puthli, Bizarrap, Black Thought, Gruff Rhys, IDLES, Jalen Ngonda, Johnny Marr, Kara Jackson, Omar Souleyman, Paul Simonon, Sparks, Trueno en Yasiin Bey; evenals stemmen van vrienden en medewerkers die ons zijn ontvallen, waaronder Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Mark E. Smith, Proof en Tony Allen.
Op zaterdag 4 juli sluit Gorillaz de Main Stage van Rock Werchter af.
Sdban records - Belgian jazz-funk classic Open Sky Unit reissued by Sdban Records
The reissue of Open Sky Unit (1974), out today via Belgian label Sdban Records, brings new life to the timeless jazz fusion classic by the group of the same name, featuring Micheline and Jacques Pelzer, Steve Houben, Ron Wilson, Janot Buchem, and Michel Graillier. The album returns on vinyl, highlighting a pivotal moment in Belgian jazz history, where soul, funk, and free improvisation came together in a vibrant and family-driven project.
Formed in the early 1970s as a homage to Dave Liebman's group Open Sky, Open Sky Unit grew out of informal jam sessions in Liège, Belgium, into a unique collective. One of the central figures was Jacques Pelzer, father of drummer and vocalist Micheline Pelzer, alongside his second cousin, saxophonist/flutist Steve Houben, bass player Janot Buchem, percussionist Michel Graillier and American pianist/composer Ron Wilson.
Their 1974 debut album was released on the Duchesne classical music label, run by Pelzer's brother-in-law. The group's sound carefully balanced jazz and soul and was largely directed by Wilson, a Californian pianist and singer who settled in Liège and nearby Maastricht after his army service. Wilson composed the entire repertoire. Open Sky Unit was recorded live at Jazzland club in Liège, and the band made several short tours in Belgium and abroad (including Tunisia) until around 1975–1976, when Houben left for Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.
Although the original live recording from 1974 was not technically perfect, the group succeeded in capturing their heartfelt live energy. Tracks such as Open Sky, Sunshine Star, and Passion and Compassion are striking examples of this. Years later, the album version of Sunshine Star found its way onto Funky Chicken (2014), the compilation that not only brought the track back into the spotlight but also marked the beginning of Sdban Records.
In addition to the standard reissue, a limited edition of 200 copies will be released for collectors, featuring a 7" single of Ron Wilson's Sunshine Star as a special bonus. This single was originally released in 1973 with the acoustic version of Sunshine Star (piano and vocals) on the B-side, recorded a few months before the longer jazz-funk version later featured on the LP Open Sky Unit. The A-side, Peace Is The Answer, was only released on that single at the time and is now being reissued for the very first time. The 7" is thus a faithful and long-awaited reissue of a rare piece of Belgian jazz history, it's intimate, soulful, and an ideal complement to the existing and well-known LP.
Although the band never achieved a major international breakthrough, they were highly valued in progressive European jazz circles and later secured a place in anthologies such as Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968–1979. The reissue of Open Sky Unit brings their music back into the spotlight and reaffirms their role as key figures in the Belgian jazz scene of the seventies.
The reissue of Open Sky Unit is out now via Sdban Records, with a limited edition of 200 copies including a 7" single by Ron Wilson.
Tracklisting:
Open Sky Unit – Open Sky Unit (LP)
A1. Open Sky
A2. At Man
A3. Valerie
B1. Sunshine Star
B2. Passion And Compassion
B3. Valerie (Only The Melody)
Ron Wilson – Sunshine Star (7")
Nederlands 
Français 
