Sdban records news - Black Flower release ‘Diagonal Walk, ahead of new EP ‘Motions’

Release: January 23, 2026
Happiness and Butterflies - Single by Adja | Spotify
Black Flower - Diagonal Walk
Almost exactly a year after the release of their full album Kinetic, Black Flower returns with Diagonal Walk, their first new material since touring across Europe with shows in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Germany. Building on the momentum of their time on the road, the band now presents a first track that sketches out the musical direction further explored on their upcoming 3-track EP Motions.

Diagonal Walk had long been a fixture in the Black Flower live set, but had yet to be released. The track came together in a repurposed barn in the middle of nowhere, temporarily transformed into a makeshift studio that became both their think tank and playground. There, Karel's circling keyboard patterns, intertwined with a rhythmic foundation from Simon, formed a framework in which Nathan and Jon's horns could build the melodic narrative. Filip's Bass VI laid down a churning undercurrent, that drove the track's gradual ascent and underpinning its waves of energy, groove, and contrapuntal interplay, growing it into a six-minute, steadily unfolding trip.

Expanding on Black Flower's signature blend of Ethio-jazz, psychedelia and groove-driven improvisation, this latest release deepens the band's search for trance-inducing rhythms and rich harmonic layers while pushing their sound in a more exploratory and cinematic direction. The barn sessions proved catalytic, allowing the band to experiment freely, strengthen their play and develop motifs that now shape their forthcoming work.

Diagonal Walk is out today on all streaming platforms. The new EP Motions will be released on March 6, 2026 via Sdban Ultra.

BLACK FLOWER
Belgian five-piece Black Flower explores the world through a jazz-informed lens, blending Ethio-jazz, psychedelia, groove and global influences into a vibrant, hypnotic sound. Rolling drums, flutes, swirling keys and rich horn lines come together in music that is both adventurous and deeply danceable.
Since their acclaimed debut Abyssinia Afterlife (2014), Black Flower has continued to refine and expand their sound across albums such as Artifacts, Ghost Radio, Future Flora, Magma and their latest full-length Kinetic (2025), a rhythm-driven record centered on motion, transformation and release.
With the upcoming EP Motions, the band extends the world of Kinetic, presenting a concise collection of powerful tracks born from an overflow of ideas during the album sessions.
Championed by tastemakers including Gilles Peterson, The Gaslamp Killer and Lefto Early Bird, Black Flower has appeared on BBC Radio 3 and Worldwide FM, received praise from outlets such as MOJO, Stereogum and Uncut, and toured extensively across Europe. Constantly evolving, Black Flower continues to push boundaries with immersive arrangements, bold improvisation and a cinematic, trance-inducing live energy

Nathan Daems – saxophone, ney, kaval
Jon Birdsong – cornet, conch shells
Simon Segers – drums£
Filip Vandebril – bass, bass VI
Karel Cuelenaere – keys

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