Have you been walking around with the idea for this solo project for a long time?
I had been walking around for a long time with the idea of a new project where I would mix brass instruments with electronics. I’ve been brooding over the ideal composition of such a group for years in notebooks. How many musicians would I need? Should I add saxes or not? Would one drummer have arms enough for everything I wanted to write? Then came corona. But actually that was a gift. All ballast overboard and leave from the core: me, my cornet and a lot of buttons.
What led you to come out with it now?
I did some tryouts in 2021 and let my material mature a bit. In December I made a selection and I started recording it. With this release I hope to score great performances in the summer. I can already see myself standing in a fairytale setting at a small alternative festival.
We learned through your social media that there is actually a team behind a solo project. Who have you worked with and what have they contributed?
In a solo project you end up talking to yourself and that doesn’t make you any better. Wim Henderickx helped me a lot with puzzling to the right shape. From my first sketches I started working with Dirk Miers from DESTUDIO in Asse to refine the sound of beats and percussion. I have often worked with Dirk and I now know that I can trust him blindly. He feels perfectly what I want to tell with my music and he is a very strong sound engineer. My music is often described as cinematic and I want to translate that feeling into the entire performance. You could already see a start in the teaser of ‘jump off’. It was made by my brother Frank. As brothers we disagree about everything just as often, but when we exchange ideas about video in this project, we are immediately on the same wavelength. I am also very happy with the help of a few people behind the scenes. At a try-out I met Nele De Cock who held up a mirror to me from minute one. She is a great sounding board and support for anything not directly related to music. I am also very grateful to Cluster. It may not always be clear to outsiders what Cluster does for its composers, but without Cluster I was probably still scribbling in my notebook. The January 2021 Global Music Sessions were the perfect push into the rough to jump into the deep end. She is a great sounding board and support for anything not directly related to music. I am also very grateful to Cluster. It may not always be clear to outsiders what Cluster does for its composers, but without Cluster I was probably still scribbling in my notebook. The January 2021 Global Music Sessions were the perfect push into the rough to jump into the deep end. She is a great sounding board and support for anything not directly related to music. I am also very grateful to Cluster. It may not always be clear to outsiders what Cluster does for its composers, but without Cluster I was probably still scribbling in my notebook. The January 2021 Global Music Sessions were the perfect push into the rough to jump into the deep end.
What story do you want to tell with this album?
In my music I flee from reality. I withdraw and create my own sound world that is a response to all external stimuli. One day it is war and misery in the world, the next day it is a busy family celebration. Music has always had a great comforting power for me since childhood. I don’t have a direct message with this music, otherwise I might have been more concerned with lyrics. I want to take listeners on a journey to the place where I feel safe.
Why the name ‘barrage’ for your first single?
The great thing about jump-off is that it can mean whatever you see in it. It is some form of an obstruction, you can interpret it as a hindrance but also as a closure. It also radiates strength and tranquility at the same time. All feelings that fit intuitively with the music for me. For me, a title is rarely the starting point for writing music. In this case too, I went looking for the right title that matched what the music means and radiates to me.
What can we expect from Stann in the future?
More music will be released in the coming months. No date has been set yet, but the EP will be released in the fall, which includes jump-off. In the summer I hope to be able to do many performances on small cozy stages and festivals.
