Zephyrus Records

18/02/2025

⚡THIS THURSDAY 20/02⚡ in double bill with at ! 🎪 will be joining them for a first off collaboration between the two artists. 💥

Tickets 👉 link in bio

.be

24/01/2025

‘Kashgul’ out now! 🌻

Soolmaan returns with Kashgul, a boundary-crossing album where Ottoman makam, Indian raga, and Anatolian halk muzigi blend seamlessly with jazz and contemporary modal music. Led by Belgian oud player Tristan Driessens, the sextet—featuring Nathan Daems, Christos Barbas, Annemie Osborne, Andrea Piccioni, and Levent Yildirim — creates rich soundscapes with flute, sax, ney, cello, piano, and percussion. With original compositions and reimagined works by Ravi Shankar, Amjad Ali Khan, and Art Pepper, Kashgul invites listeners on a journey through tradition and newfound inspirations.

“While the music still reflects my years in Istanbul, it now expresses a more travelled, more eccentric Orient” - .driessens

Order & listen to album 👉 link in bio

.driessens .daems

21/01/2025

Today releases ‘An Kôri’, the first single on his upcoming album.
‘Reele Bumbou’, set to release on February 14th, is a fruitful collaboration between , and .music 🔥

Have a listen + pre-save/pre-order album 👉 link in bio

📷

17/01/2025

‘Ikaros’ out now ! 🧡

Soolmaan releases ‘Ikaros’, the third single ahead of their album ‘Kashgul’, set to release on January 24th  2025. 
.driessens sheds a light on this single:

“Ikaros is an epical and rather intense contemporary modal composition intended to be a direct musical evocation of the myth of Icarus. Virtuoso percussionists Andrea Piccioni (tamburello) and Levent Yıldırım (percussion set up) maintain a continuous groove throughout the first section of the piece. After the main themes, the two ney flutes (Christos Barbas and Nathan Daems) start to improvise simultaneously, evoking the wings of Icarus who, blinded by ambition, risks flying either too high or too low. The final section of this composition is introduced by a fiery sax solo that further emphasizes the atmosphere of menace. Stylistically, this composition borrows modal and polyrhythmic elements from Indian music, with its tihai resolutions and overall melodic structure.”

Listen to ‘Ikaros’ / pre-order ‘Kashgul’ 👉 link in bio
driessens .daems .music

17/01/2025

‘Ikaros’ is out now! 🧡

Soolmaan releases the third single ahead of their album ‘Kashgul’, set to release on January 24th 2025.

Pre-order ‘Kashgul’ 👉 https://soolmaan.bandcamp.com/album/kashgul
Give ‘Ikaros’ a spin 👉 https://song.link/be/i/1790334063

Tristan Driessens sheds a light on these three immersive tracks:

𝐈𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐬
“Ikaros is an epical and rather intense contemporary modal composition intended to be a direct musical evocation of the myth of Icarus. Virtuoso percussionists Andrea Piccioni (tamburello) and Levent Yıldırım (percussion set up) maintain a continuous groove throughout the first section of the piece. After the main themes, the two ney flutes (Christos Barbas and Nathan Daems) start to improvise simultaneously, evoking the wings of Icarus who, blinded by ambition, risks flying either too high or too low. The final section of this composition is introduced by a fiery sax solo that further emphasizes the atmosphere of menace. Stylistically, this composition borrows modal and polyrhythmic elements from Indian music, with its tihai resolutions and overall melodic structure.”

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐧
“Following an extended three-part structure, Mashrab the Madman starts with a melody based on an atypical 29/8 rhythmical cycle. The composition then modulates to a straightforward middle section directly inspired by early 20th Century gypsy music of Istanbul, with its haunting çifte telli 8/8 rhythmical pattern and its powerful nocturnal Saba scale. An extended oud taksim (non-metrical modal improvisation) subsequently modulates from Saba to the Acem Aşiran and Kürdi scales, before re-exposing the opening melody to mark the end of the piece. Mashrab The Madman is dedicated to my friend, the great Egyptian riqq and bendir player Adel Shams El Din.”

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
“Based on an ancient Andalusian mode, Prayer for Nature is a composition that evokes the awakening of a new day, the announcement of new life at the break of dawn. On concerts, I often enjoy playing Prayer for Nature as the opening track, because I think it is very representative of both the typical instrumentation – oud, cello, tenor saxophone and percussion set up – and the modal jazz oriented musical direction of Soolmaan. Starting with a syncopated melody, Prayer for Nature qu**ky creates room for a series of short improvisations expanding like a joyous dialogue which celebrates the beauty of nature.”

Listen to ‘Ikaros’ played live at Concertgebouw Brugge 👉https://youtu.be/5ZRysC-Z0ig?si=oH435R1jQTbxnRyr

Tristan Driessens Nathan Daems Concertgebouw Brugge Seyir Muzik Christos Barbas

10/01/2025

Triple exciting news from 🥳

- has been selected to play a showcase at the Belgian Worldwide Music Night at Ancienne Belgique Club on January 28th, 2025. Come and join us! 🔥🎵

- Both the albums from and .music have been nominated for the Audience Award!🏆
Don’t forget to cast your vote before January 21st 👉 https://shorturl.at/mLGpr

.music .t.leonard .music

08/01/2025

💥 ‘All For A Reason’ out now! 💥
Listen 👂 https://newsdigital.ffm.to/allforareason
Limited edition dub cut (25 numbered copies) available via Bandcamp:
https://jamaicanjazzorchestra.bandcamp.com

With their authentic formula the Belgian Jamaican Jazz Orchestra return with a new EP. Again serious musicianship combined with the ingenious compositions of guitarist Wouter Rosseel (Pura Vida, Lee Scratch Perry, The Congos) but this time with a more rootsy, vintage feel.

“The five tracks on this EP represent one part of my musical journey between 2020 and 2022, a period that was rather tough and rocky. You can see it in some of titles. Luckily listening to music was healing and inspiring and so these tracks became alive. These tunes were meant to be, like so many things in life… it’s ‘All for A Reason’.” – Wouter Rosseel

07/01/2025

Aboubakar Traoré & Balima nominated for the Belgian Worldwide Music Network Awards for best album. 🥳

Voting can be done here 👉 https://bwmn.be/en/2025/01/public-vote-album-belgian-worldwide-music-awards-2025/

Some previous words on 'Sababu':

"Ngoni master Aboubakar Traoré and his Balima group explore kinetic West African rhythm on Sababu (Zephyrus Records), soaring on the guitar and ngoni interplay of Politiki”
- The Guardian (Global Album of the Month)


"Five years ago, the Burkina Faso-born kamelengoni master Aboubakar Traoré and his group Balima released a splendid debut album titled Tama Tama - and the good news is that Sababu is even better.”
- Songlines ★★★★

"Sababu convinces on all levels. Firmly rooted in Burkina Faso culture and history and ever-respectful of ancient griot traditions, the music transcends time and geographical borders, creating an album of hope, pride and optimism. Above all, it is an album of celebration.” - KLOF Mag

“Their second album travels in the footsteps of Mandingo griot storytellers but updates the sonic backdrop, which is hypnotic but also has an oomph that might appeal to rock-friendly festival audiences.” - theartsdesk.com

“A celebration of pride in Africa with music that transcends borders while remaining deeply rooted in Burkina Faso” - The Morning Star

“An absolutely cracking album.”
Kathryn Tickell (Music Planet, BBC Radio 3)

Ballantyne Communications

You decide who gets the Public Vote for Album. You can now vote for your favourite album – everyone can cast 1 vote! DEADLINE: 21/01/2025
Discover all albums & the voting form on our website.
https://bwmn.be/en/2025/01/public-vote-album-belgian-worldwide-music-awards-2025/

06/01/2025

13/12/2024

'Makasima' by Kosmo Sound & Imane Guemssy is OUT NOW! 🔥🔥

Listen here 👉 https://album.link/be/i/1783925194

Next Tuesday they present their new release at AB - Ancienne Belgique, hope to see you there 👉 https://www.abconcerts.be/en/agenda/kosmo-sound-ft-imane-guemssy/a10Qw000003EX2PIAW

Tonight, Imane Guemssy is also playing a show at Bij' De Vieze Gasten with Hicham Bilali ✨

The boundaries of musical fusion are pushed in this unique collaboration. Imane Guemssy is an heir of the Gnawa traditions. She is a master of the guembri, the typical three-string bass lute, and the sacred chants of this mystical and spiritual music from Morocco. The hypnotic playing, accompanied by ancestral rhythms, evokes meditative trances and an intimate connection with the African roots of the Gnawa tradition.

Kosmo Sound, on the other hand, are known for their unique approach to dub, taking sonic minimalism to the extreme. Their nuanced compositions are based on subtle bass and distant echoes, creating an almost ethereal sound space in which every silence and every vibration takes on new importance. By using the space between sounds, they create an immersive atmosphere typical of dub, but somehow more introspective and calmer. The result of this collaboration bridges the gap between two distant but surprisingly complementary musical worlds.
Makasima brings 5 fresh tracks, expertly mixed by Dijf Sanders.

Kosmo Sound - Imane Guemssy - Ambroos De Schepper - Mattias Geernaert - Bos Dbsschr - Marius Couvreur - Edmund Lauret - AB - Ancienne Belgique - Dijf Sanders - Karel De Backer Mastering - Greenhouse Talent - Ilja Bracke - Darna Vlaams Marokkaans Culturenhuis

11/12/2024

Nu vrijdag nieuwe EP, volgende week dinsdag in de AB! 🔥
Kosmo Sound ft. Imane Guemssy | Ancienne Belgique

06/12/2024

‘Sababu’ by is one week old! Already making waves! ✨

Included are some nice words and captured moods from last week’s concert in .be

29/11/2024

🔥 DOUBLE RELEASEDAY TODAY 🔥

Aboubakar Traoré & Balima release their long awaited album Sababu and Kosmo Sound & Imane Guemssy share the first single 'Bacha Hamou' of the upcoming EP 'Makasima'

https://newsdigital.ffm.to/sababu-album
https://song.link/i/1781154768

"Sababu convinces on all levels. Firmly rooted in Burkina Faso culture and history and ever-respectful of ancient griot traditions, the music transcends time and geographical borders, creating an album of hope, pride and optimism. Above all, it is an album of celebration.” - KLOF Mag

"Ngoni master Aboubakar Traoré and his Balima group explore kinetic West African rhythm on Sababu, soaring on the guitar and ngoni interplay of Politiki” - The Guardian (Global Album of the Month)

20/11/2024