Joachim Saerens Toonmoment residency

Joachim Saerens is a Belgian keyboardist, songwriter, and producer, known among others for his collaboration with Selah Sue, with whom he toured international stages. Joachim himself set up his own projects HRNS (electronic-ambient) and Blackdive (jazzy lo-fi), and he is a key figure in the famous improvisation sessions at the Antwerpse Café Des Arts. With his diverse collaborations and international tours, it is no surprise that the musician is interested in a cross-pollination of genres and musical backgrounds. Now, Joachim’s interest lies in the interaction between the layered richness of the studio and the unpredictability of live performances. Joachim Saerens is bringing the new project The Ark of Joa to Rataplan for the first time, after a number of residencies. With this project The Ark of Joa, Joachim explores how live sound processing can influence a performance. It is the fruit of an in-depth artistic research into ‘band intuition’: how can electronics breathe along with a group of musicians, instead of forcing them into a rigid corset of metronomes and backing tracks? Here, Joachim presents, together with Dré Pallemaerts, Dries Laheye, Fre Madou, and Eric Thielemans, a universe in which live processing acts as an extra musician. The band and the technology flow seamlessly into each other: Joachim himself controls the live electronics from behind his keyboards, while the bassists help mold the effects and the drummers unleash sounds. In this way, the entire ensemble collectively takes control of the technology. Sounds react in real time to what is happening on stage; they listen, answer, and create a fluid landscape in which jazz, IDM, and alternative pop find each other. Expect a concert in which time stretches and shrinks, where pulse and transparency are central, and where the human core always remains audible amidst an impressive wall of sound. Joachim Saerens (keys, composition, live-processing) Dries Laheye, Fre Madou (bass, electronics) Eric Thielemans, Dré Pallemaerts (drums, trigger)