VI.BE

KAU (formerly known as KAU trio.) is an instrumental project based in Brussels, consisting of a trio of musicians: André Breidlid on drums, Matteo Genovese on bass, and Jan Janzen on synths. With a pan-European identity, their music reflects the city that saw them grow: unapologetic and richly diverse.

Long-time friends since they were 13 years old and coming from a jazz background, they skillfully blend beat structures with juicy grooves and electrifying atmospheres, turning heads while maintaining an organic essence in their sound.

Since 2020 and the start of their collaborative project, the group has been constantly experimenting and exploring the boundaries of jazz, groove, and dance music to distill their unique sound. From the decided hip-hop "Beat Tape Vol 1" to the EP "II," which leans more towards nu-jazz compositions, to their latest EP "III," which focuses heavily on the use of effects and more electronic textures, the trio constantly seeks to surprise themselves by jamming and improvising for hours until they find the sound that will make them roar. Like mad scientists, they fumble around and always end up finding the winning formula: a captivating bassline, a tight drum groove, or a simple haunting melody on the synthesizer—everything becomes material to develop and turn into a piece. They also engage in making their music participatory by inviting talented musician friends to contribute, such as Maxime Dereux (GROUNDS/Hypercontent!), Rebecca Driesmans (BEX), and the rapper Jay MNG on their last two released projects.

From composition to live performances, KAU thinks and does everything together like a Cerberus, to become one. All for the music: as a leitmotif, the Brussels-based musicians give their all on stage at every performance, engaging the crowd in their decidedly sunny and danceable universe—and sometimes its complete opposite. They merge their triptych energy on stage by communicating through their instruments, seeking perfect harmonization while allowing themselves the freedom to improvise like true jazz musicians. Their resolute goal is to frantically move the necks of those who surrender to their music.

In the summer of 2022, the group secluded themselves in the German countryside to draw inspiration from the green energies and conceive their first album, which will be released in late September 2023 on the Ghent-based label SDBAN Ultra.

Listen and support here:

https://kaumusic.bandcamp.com/