ALBUM RELEASE: re#encounter - angels and demons at play

The hybrid trance-jazz collective re#encounter is releasing its debut album on the W.E.R.F. Records label. With authentic Gnawa grooves, cumbia vocals, griot storytelling and ecstatic improvisations, the musicians bring a spiritual jazz idiom to life, albeit with a distinctly Brussels twist. Homegrown Afrofuturism!

In angels and demons at play, re#encounter dives into their greatest common divisor: the Black Atlantic, or the fascinating interplay between spirituality, trance and groove. Hicham Bilali’s Gnawa grooves enter into dialogue with Kaito Winse’s and Paula Léon’s voices, weaving together stories from the griot and cumbia traditions about ancestors, cosmic journeys, and djinns. Lúcia Pires, Joos Vandueren and Robbe Bey Latré craft soundscapes and infectious melodies rooted in existing traditionals, while Falk Schrauwen and Anaïs Moffarts deftly navigate this orchestral whirlwind, binding it all together with tight rhythms brimming with cultural references.

This debut album is a vibrant and danceable exploration of the archetypal elements found across these diverse cultures. Spontaneity and improvisation are the rule, with evocative meditations alternating with festive explosions. Angels and demons at play thus brings to life a spiritual jazz idiom in the spirit of Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, and Shabaka Hutchings—albeit with a distinctly Brussels twist. Homegrown Afrofuturism!